Follow the Japanese model: Visa free entry for Chinese best "medicine" to stimulate tourism, Thai media

[Number 6]

20 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Japan is by far more expensive than Thailand and also it´s a 1st. world country.

It's not at all. Plan the trip, take public transportation which is great. Lots of free stuff to do. The whole of Kyoto is essentially free.

 

Sushi is better and cheaper, booze is much cheaper, food is a bit more but only a bit.

 

We found all sorts of ways to save money.

[Number 6]

1 hour ago, SmartyMarty said:

Great initiative. We farangs are finished here. We expect too much, we complain too much, we have no manners and (as tourists), we spend less than the chinese.

Yes, open the flood gates to the mannered of the north. No, the the Japanese...the CHINESE lol

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, SmartyMarty said:

Great initiative. We farangs are finished here. We expect too much, we complain too much, we have no manners and (as tourists), we spend less than the chinese.

Don't be to sure about spending less than the Chinese, I just came back from Pattaya

after a short stint of 8 days, I spend 60.000 baht and never set a foot in to a bar.

Yes the Chinese spend more but not the individuals, only because of the volume of

tourists. 

[Thian]

58 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Yeah yeah but the majority of the boys here simply wants to know how is it girls wise over there?

 

Well i saw on tv that you shouldn't go in a girly bar in Tokyo Shinjuku....its a big scam and you'll pay a very high price...

 

For the rest i have no idea, let the boys find out themselves or even better go to the Phillipines or so.

[Thian]

42 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Japan is by far more expensive than Thailand and also it´s a 1st. world country.

It's not that expensive, if you eat in chain restaurants it's sure possible to eat under 10 euro...and you'll get good food, good table, good service and all...no cheap <deleted> or anything.

 

Ramen costs like 2-300 baht iirc, well i can live on that....they also have fastfood of course but a nice bento set costed less than 10 euro which is 300 baht...and that's all high quality food and prepared perfect. We ate those in the train, like everybody else. You buy them on the stations.

 

Sure you can break the bank by going to star restaurants for kobe beef or so but on the street they also sell beef skewers from the barbie and they cost like 120-150 baht or so....not that bad, same as in Amsterdam

[Thian]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Yeah, Japan is great. I worked there for a year and my worst experience, was both funny and pleasant.

One time at arrival customs showed me a pictogram with 6 pictures; guns, drugs, etc. I pointed at the porn picture and humorously said I thought they had plenty of that in Japan.

I was swiftly escorted to a room and they searched everything, even the inside of my shoes, but it was in such a friendly and professional matter, almost like a VIP treatment.

Less than 10 minutes later I was on my way and they even showed me directions to the right train platform. Lovely country!

What were they searching for in your in your luggage? A hidden girl or sexdoll?

 

I was there 3 years ago and had a brand new European passport, latest model...the custom officer tried to scan it but it didn't work on that new model passport...he was embarassed and after 5 minutes he let me pass....He was very kind though, much better than the IO's at Swampy who never smile.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

They proposed abolishing visas for Chinese people and following a Japanese model that has proved successful.

A flood of Chinese call centres about to open next year... I hope the BIB are ready for the extra workload?

[ExpatOilWorker]

15 minutes ago, Thian said:

What were they searching for in your in your luggage? A hidden girl or sexdoll?

 

I was there 3 years ago and had a brand new European passport, latest model...the custom officer tried to scan it but it didn't work on that new model passport...he was embarassed and after 5 minutes he let me pass....He was very kind though, much better than the IO's at Swampy who never smile.

They were probably just filling their quota of having to search a certain number of people per shift, I just happen to be next in line.

[dcnx]

Best way: Give EVERYONE 180 days max in the country as a tourist. Multi entry. No BS. Simple. Works for many countries.

 

If you want more than 180 days you have to apply for a proper visa.

[CNXexpat]

1 hour ago, White Christmas13 said:

Don't be to sure about spending less than the Chinese, I just came back from Pattaya

after a short stint of 8 days, I spend 60.000 baht and never set a foot in to a bar.

Yes the Chinese spend more but not the individuals, only because of the volume of

tourists. 

Because YOU spend 60.000 Baht in 8 days doesn´t mean every farang do it - especially in Pattaya. If you enter the 4 or 5* hotels in Pattaya, you will see many Chinese.

 

A friend owns a restaurant in Chiang Mai. The farangs order Pad Thai, the Chinese the seafood platters for up to 5.000 Baht. He says every Chinese guest spends 800 Baht, every farang guest 200 Baht in average.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

You have to compare by example the capitals. When I am in Bangkok I always stay in a very nice 4* hotel (Le Tada Parkview) near the Victory Monument for around 2,000 Baht per night. Try to find this in Tokyo. No chance. 

 

My last stay in Tokyo in September I stayed at the Sunroute hotel Ginza for 4500 baht per night. 

 

Bangkok is renowned for being one of the cheapest capitals in the world when it comes to hotels. 

 

Try comparing China, Singapore and Hong Kong to Tokyo and it will highlight how reasonably priced Japan is. 

 

 

Many many Thai's can afford a Japan trip - the flights are full of Thai Tourists (on each of the 3 times I've been there this year) and the reason they travel there is the hassle free visa.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

40 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Best way: Give EVERYONE 180 days max in the country as a tourist. Multi entry. No BS. Simple. Works for many countries.

 

If you want more than 180 days you have to apply for a proper visa.

 

Thats pretty much exactly what they do, although your definition of a Tourist and Immigration's definition of a Tourist differs somewhat - so what you suggest is already happening but with smaller timeframes. 

 

Someone staying in a Country for 180 days is not a tourist and likely working. 

 

 

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, CNXexpat said:

Because YOU spend 60.000 Baht in 8 days doesn´t mean every farang do it - especially in Pattaya. If you enter the 4 or 5* hotels in Pattaya, you will see many Chinese.

 

A friend owns a restaurant in Chiang Mai. The farangs order Pad Thai, the Chinese the seafood platters for up to 5.000 Baht. He says every Chinese guest spends 800 Baht, every farang guest 200 Baht in average.

No I don't say every farang spend that much, then explain to me why I never ever have

seen a Chinese at the 5 star Hilton which I frequent many times because the son and

daughter of my lady friend works there. Also in the hotel I stayed(not 5 star) not 1 single

Chinese or Indian, only farangs and they sat in the restaurant and bar all day and spend

heaps of money. And I never had Pad Thai in Thailand. 

[CNXexpat]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Try comparing China, Singapore and Hong Kong to Tokyo and it will highlight how reasonably priced Japan is. 

It was written that Japan is not more expensive than Thailand. So I compared the 2 capitals. 

 

20 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

then explain to me why I never ever have seen a Chinese at the 5 star Hilton

Perhaps they were so quiet and civilized that you haven´t noticed them ???? When I have been there last time, there were plenty of them, same as in the Siam@Siam Hotel. Here in Chiang Mai Chinese make 30%+ of the guests in the 5* hotels. And they spend a lot in the hotel restaurants. As an expat I get a 30% discount at the Le Meridien restaurants. I have seen many Chinese guests - and they pay the full price, which is not cheap.
Do you remember the boat accident last year in Phuket with more than 40 dead Chinese? ALL of them stayed in the Le Meridien hotel.

[White Christmas13]

Come on even if they are quiet I recognize a Chinese walking past me any time.

But don't get me wrong I do like Chinese like any other country.

[Gracas]

Thailand, quickly becoming a place for tourists to visit China without having to go to China.

[NCC1701A]

bring em all in

[DaRoadrunner]

Visa free entry for Chinese who just shove their way past you and s**t in the streets.

 

When are they going to do something for the rest of us? I will not hold my breath waiting. Maybe if I s**t in the street they will take notice and let me have a free retirement visa?

[sunnyboy2018]

20 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Some western countries already did this, and we know what happened....

Which western countries removed all restrictions? Name one.

[sunnyboy2018]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Thats pretty much exactly what they do, although your definition of a Tourist and Immigration's definition of a Tourist differs somewhat - so what you suggest is already happening but with smaller timeframes. 

 

Someone staying in a Country for 180 days is not a tourist and likely working. 

 

 

You think wealthy Arabs  who stay for long periods of time are working or people on gap years? Plenty of people travel for long periods of time without working but so what if they work? Its kinda pathetic the extent to which Thais exclude foreigners from working. Thai society and economy would benefit from having some western workers.

[Scott]

Racist post reported and removed.  

 

[ICELANDMAN]

 

My recent experience of visiting Japan was excellent, I arrived in a civilized country.

Making the comparison between Thailand and Japan makes no sense

 

[DrTuner]

16 hours ago, dcnx said:

Best way: Give EVERYONE 180 days max in the country as a tourist. Multi entry. No BS. Simple. Works for many countries.

 

If you want more than 180 days you have to apply for a proper visa.

180 is getting close to being tax resident. I'd say give 90d visa waiver (with multi entry),  max twice a year and with a minimum of 3 months between them. That should make it fairly sure tourists are really tourists and not "expats".

 

For expats, open the PR and give only 3 consecutive 1y non-immigrants before it's obligatory to apply for PR.

 

It's not really that hard once you remove the Thai style sitting on the fence visas they've been doling out.

 

EDIT: And remove the work permit requirement from PRs. 

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, ICELANDMAN said:

My recent experience of visiting Japan was excellent, I arrived in a civilized country.

That's the best thing about Thailand, when you manage to escape to a 1st world country you get that "WOW! Civilization!" effect. It's the opposite of the oppressive junta stinking blow of hot air you get at the doors of Swampy.

[Mavideol]

On 12/11/2019 at 8:39 AM, webfact said:

Manager said that stopping visas for Chinese to Thailand would be the "emergency medicine" that Thailand needs.

that would be a big loss of income for TAT..... maybe they are expecting to cover the visa income loss with Chinese increasing spending on their stay 555..... wishful thinking

[CNXexpat]

19 hours ago, Thian said:

It's not that expensive, if you eat in chain restaurants it's sure possible to eat under 10 euro...and you'll get good food, good table, good service and all...no cheap <deleted> or anything.

 

Ramen costs like 2-300 baht iirc, well i can live on that....they also have fastfood of course but a nice bento set costed less than 10 euro which is 300 baht...and that's all high quality food and prepared perfect. We ate those in the train, like everybody else. You buy them on the stations.

 

Sure you can break the bank by going to star restaurants for kobe beef or so but on the street they also sell beef skewers from the barbie and they cost like 120-150 baht or so....not that bad, same as in Amsterdam

Look at this article. Japanese cities are the most expensive in Asia and partly of the world. Ok, it´s for citizens, but is also effecting tourists. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/1814349/bangkok-jumps-up-cost-of-living-table#cxrecs_s

[Thian]

10 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Look at this article. Japanese cities are the most expensive in Asia and partly of the world. Ok, it´s for citizens, but is also effecting tourists. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/1814349/bangkok-jumps-up-cost-of-living-table#cxrecs_s

Well i believe what i saw myself....tourists also get big discount on many things in Japan...the trains for example.

 

London-Paris-Amsterdam-Venice also aren't cheap if you don't know how to save some money. 

 

But myself i don't mind high prices if the quality is also high, and not only for what i'm buying but the whole surrounding as well. BKK has filthy air so it should be much much cheaper than the European capitals. Then i look at how clean/good the sidewalks are, the public transport, the streets and so on.....Japan wins from BKK on every little thing.

 

I was amazed about the silent traffic in Tokyo, they have special trucks there which make no noise...and how they protect pedestrians when there's construction going on, they even have special guards on the sidewalks to guide the pedestrians past the construction site which is fenced off very well already.

 

It's a bit like being back in europe after a long time in Thailand, it's priceless to see how motorvehicles stop for pedestrians at zebra's or even without zebra's....it just shows on what a very low level Thailand is...

[Number 6]

On 12/11/2019 at 5:22 PM, Destiny1990 said:

Yeah yeah but the majority of the boys here simply wants to know how is it girls wise over there?

 

Judging by most of the men I see on the BTS between Soi Cowboy and Nana + the dregs in Pattaya and CM prolly not so great.

 

Can't wear flip flops and singlets in Tokyo either.

[trainman34014]

On 12/11/2019 at 6:01 PM, CNXexpat said:

Nonsense. A 4 or 5* hotel in Tokio (with smaller rooms too) is much more expensive than in Bangkok. A 4 km taxi ride with meter is much more expensive in Tokio than in Bangkok, etc. 

Rubbish....just returned from 10 days in Japan, plenty of large rooms at very reasonable prices and Taxi's are far better and safer than Thailand with no chance of being ripped off or refused a ride.

[CNXexpat]

9 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Rubbish....just returned from 10 days in Japan, plenty of large rooms at very reasonable prices and Taxi's are far better and safer than Thailand with no chance of being ripped off or refused a ride.

Oh man, for a 1 km taxi ride you pay in Tokyo more than 100 Baht. Much more than in Thailand. The point in the topic was not the quality, only the price. 

Especially for you I checked hotel prices in Tokyo city center. You don´t get a room in a 4* hotel below 3,500 Baht, usually much more. In Bangkok city center you can find 4* hotels with a very good rating at booking.com for 2,000 Baht. I searched for end of January.