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Thai tourism: Free visa is the answer for yet more Chinese and Indians in 2020, minister


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44 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Grasping at straws to try to get any tourist into Thailand.

Yesterdays dismal report regarding hotel bookings etc is a sign things have got to change more than free entry to view the same old rubbish.

It's like white washing the front door but when you step in nothings changed it's still 50's style!

Hotel bookings are not the sum total of tourists and not all hoteliers are members of said association.

41 minutes ago, Old Thai Hand said:

Thailand gave Russians a visa waiver and that decision was responsible for the growth of the Russian mafia in Thailand. They should not make the same mistake with any other country. Free visa is not something you can walk back easily, once granted. You will lose control of who is inside your borders.

But not how long they're here.

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6 hours ago, SteveK said:

Devalue the baht by 25% and watch tourism and exports go back to normal almost overnight.

Or, improve customer service, and attitude towards foreign tourists by 25%, while reducing decades-old scams by 25%, but leaving the exchange rate as it is, and tourist numbers (not sure about the exports, though), will also go through the roof...

Edited by StayinThailand2much
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Hi Yinn, Whilst I admire your efforts to defend the Thai nation, have you ever stopped and wondered where these figure come from? 

One example....on 3rd Jan an online source stated road deaths for the seven deadly days were 373, laudably down from last year. However on the same day the Road Safety (oxymoron??) Directory Centre (whoever they are) stated the road deaths for the same period were 463, up 40 from the same period last year. Now, who to believe?

Similarly,  regarding the topic in the title, someone who should know better is predicting 11.5 million Chinese tourists who will spend 52000 baht each for what? a 10 day or two week holiday maybe. Similarly, but wildly different figures, 2.2 million Indian tourists are anticipated to spend 9.2 billion baht ( my thanks to a previous poster who claims this equates to approx 4200 baht each).

Who to believe?

I leave you with a quote by a British Prime Minister from many years ago. It still holds true today I think.....

“There are three types of lies -- lies, damn lies, and statistics.”
― Benjamin Disraeli

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2 hours ago, Traubert said:

Chinese average stay for a foreign holiday is 9.4 days according to their MOFA.

The bigger spenders take their longer holidays in Europe or North America. Most that come to Thailand are in and out in a few days.

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2 hours ago, madmitch said:

The bigger spenders take their longer holidays in Europe or North America. Most that come to Thailand are in and out in a few days.

No they dont, according to the same Ministry.

 

1. Hong Kong

2. Macau.

3, Taiwan

4. Thailand

5. Japan

6. S Korea

7. America

8. Europe

 

are their preferred destinations. In and out of Honk Kong/Macau in a few days perhaps on the High Speed Train network. The numbers for 7/8 are dwarfed by the other destinations.

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6 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

That's true, however .. every disgruntled returnee or disappointed tourist will preach the gospel of "don't bother going" to anyone in the vicinity. That's what Thais don't seem to understand. Slowly but surely Thailand is getting a reputation as inhospitable, expensive gnawed bone. There comes a point when it goes viral and then it's instant game over.

Still inconsequential to the Thais. The last thing they need is a fresh wave of serial complainers.

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43 minutes ago, Why Me said:

"expats, retirees, long term stayers" spend a decimal point in comparison to 35,000,000 tourists a year, staying a week each blowing 1000s of baht a day.

 

We could all pull up stakes and head home tomorrow and the Thais wouldn't give a rat's.

Have to agree to a point. 

I know that we always have a go about the retirement population, but when you see what the Chinese spend going out at the duty frees, it's scary.

Possibly around the 20,000 mark easily. 

XO cognac and similar luxury items. 

 

It's not the "on street" spend, but Mr. King Power is certainly affording himself a great lifestyle. 

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23 minutes ago, Traubert said:

No they dont, according to the same Ministry.

 

1. Hong Kong

2. Macau.

3, Taiwan

4. Thailand

5. Japan

6. S Korea

7. America

8. Europe

 

are their preferred destinations. In and out of Honk Kong/Macau in a few days perhaps on the High Speed Train network. The numbers for 7/8 are dwarfed by the other destinations.

Try reading what I've written. You might realise that your list has absolutely no relevance to what I've stated.

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31 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

There is a limited supply of idiots that don't check reviews, so at some point it will become relevant. Granted, not yet, there's plenty of Chinese and Indian peasants still out of the loop. Give it 5-6 years, I seem to remember that's how long it took for the Japanese/Korean camera wielding tourists to disappear from Europe.

How do you qualify as a 'peasant?'

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2 minutes ago, Traubert said:

How do you qualify as a 'peasant?'

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/peasant

Quote

a person who owns or rents a small piece of land and grows crops, keeps animals, etc. on it, especially one who has a low income, very little education, and a low social position.

 

The ones following the flags on their very first trip out.

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12 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Try reading what I've written. You might realise that your list has absolutely no relevance to what I've stated.

You said the Chinese high end spenders only go to America and Europe. You're wrong.

 

You said the Chinese only come to Thailand for short holidays. You're wrong.

 

Have you any idea how many Chinese tourists are actually regularly visiting their own property in Thailand? Property they paid cash for? Is that short term, low end spending?

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Typical government employee.  A person spends hundreds if not thousands on a trip.  Do you think saving a few Baht for a free visa really pushes someone over the fence in terms of vacationing in Thailand?  When I travel to countries requiring a visa, I find the complexity of getting is often far more of a reason to avoid the country rather than the cost of the visa. 

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8 hours ago, TechnikaIII said:

Kiss Chinese and Indian ass, ..

.. and to Hell with the rest of us.

 

Do Australians have to pay for their visa so it´s unfair that Chinese don´t have to pay or does Thailand only bring Chinese and Indians on the same high level of Australians?

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I think there is some confusion here about the free visa. I believe they meant to say visa exempt. 
Assuming this to be the case, then there will be a definite diversion of tourists from Europe/US to Thailand. Obtaining a Uk/US/Schengen visa for Chinese and Indian tourists can be quite problematic. Personally, I don’t go on vacation to countries that require me to obtain a visa (eg. US). They are hundreds of other countries that offers me visa exempt entry

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