Thai hoteliers appeal to PM for help after major tour group fails to pay up 2 billion baht for trips

[webfact]

Thai hoteliers appeal to PM for help after major tour group fails to pay up 2 billion baht for trips

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Organizations representing 173 hotels in Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi and Surat Thani have written to Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-ocha for help after debts amounting to 2 billion baht were left unpaid.

 

Daily News quoting sources in the tourism industry said the matter related to the major tour company Tui Group that is one of the biggest in the world with a head office in Germany.

 

In January to March of this year they brought many Europeans to holiday in Thailand. The visitors came from Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Belgium, Austria and Poland and other countries.

 

But trips had to be curtailed due to he Covid-19 pandemic and now there are claims that the company has reneged on agreements to pay leaving many hotels in a dire cash flow situation.

 

The media reported that Tui Group have attempted to renegotiate terms and instigate a new contract and pay 25% now and the rest at an unspecified time.

 

This despite the company receiving nearly two billion euros in bailout payments.

 

Twelve tourism organisations have added their names to the PM letter to demand that half the money is paid this month and the rest by the end of October.

 

They see contract renegotiation as unacceptable.

 

They want Prayut to contact the German government or other authority in Germany to help them. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

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[unamazedloso]

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

[seajae]

makes it hard if the people can no longer travel here due to covid regulations & are not going to stay in the hotels all due to the virus, why should they pay for something they are cannot use, 25% for nothing  is better than getting no money at all. I know I wouldnt pay if travel etc was banned but if the travel company has been paid it should be refunding the customers before paying the hotels anyway

[Henryford]

Actually i think this relates to customers who DID stay in Thai hotels in the first quarter. So TUI have been paid but won't pass the money on to the Thai hotels. Terrible sharp practice.

[realfunster]

I feel for the hoteliers involved and I hope they get their money in due course.

 

If representations are made to the German authorities, I am not sure they will prioritise Thailand's interests as they likely haven't forgotten about the Walter Bau saga, an independent international tribunal ruling for compensation of Euro 30m in Munich in 2011. It was all just a misunderstanding you see....

 

I believe the applicable phrase is 'whistling dixie'.

 

If you want to be a respected international player and be able to call in favours, you have to follow the rules of the game at all times, not just when it suits. 

[ezzra]

You know what they say, in most times, the first offer is also your best offer, you wait out for more you end up with nothing... 

[orchis]

2 billion thb is the total of outstanding bills.
The travelers had already paid TUI and the hotel stays already finished, though admittedly sometimes interrupted, shortened.

Edited May 18, 2020 by orchis

[JackThompson]

31 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

Yes and no.  If governments forced businesses to close, they should pay to keep them "in business" until they allow them to re-open. 

 

The company in question got a bailout - not sure what expenses that was supposed to cover - just employees in Europe, or ?? 

To the extent any country involved cut the business off from doing business - whether Thailand or foreign - they should pay at least enough the hotels are not forced into bankruptcy. 

[JackThompson]

25 minutes ago, realfunster said:

I feel for the hoteliers involved and I hope they get their money in due course.

 

If representations are made to the German authorities, I am not sure they will prioritise Thailand's interests as they likely haven't forgotten about the Walter Bau saga, an independent international tribunal ruling for compensation of Euro 30m, court cases and a certain plane being impounded in Munich in 2011. It was all just a misunderstanding you see....

 

I believe the applicable phrase is 'whistling dixie'.

 

If you want to be a respected international player and be able to call in favours, you have to follow the rules of the game at all times, not just when it suits. 

They got the 30M, no?

[Ventenio]

who stays in hotels?  foreigners...  

tax all foreigners an extra 100 baht until this is sorted...

i asked for soup yesterday, usually 20 baht. 

She said, '100,000 baht because nobody has ordered in the last few months.'

I paid, of course, and then went to the bank because I needed to buy a shirt and it might be 10 million 

[smedly]

40 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Actually i think this relates to customers who DID stay in Thai hotels in the first quarter. So TUI have been paid but won't pass the money on to the Thai hotels. Terrible sharp practice.

I'd like to hear TUI side of the story before I pass judgment 

[baansgr]

47 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

I bet TUI don't refund customers,....credit note possibly...have you not read about airlines, travel companies and insurance that are all but refusing refunds.....maybe a 10 hour wait on a premium line gets you through to someone.

[tomazbodner]

At some stage tourism will return. Can't see TUI getting any credit without paying off the debts first, and for probably long time paying up-front.

 

7 minutes ago, smedly said:

I'd like to hear TUI side of the story before I pass judgment 

TUI is laying off a significant number of people and reorganising, from what I've seen in European media. It's not just Thailand they didn't pay to. Pretty much to anyone.

[chrisandsu]

Maybe the Germans can ask the Thais for all the money they have ripped off the buffaloes of this world for many years . I haven’t seen any westerners being successful in asking for their money back after lending /buying houses and then having it stolen off them by Lek and Somchai . What goes around comes around . 

[malathione]

1 hour ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

Would be helpful if you actually bothered to read before posting. This is for services utilized. 

[OneeyedJohn]

Never mind greedy hotels.

 

I saw a sight this morning on BBC news about a brewery in South Africa that would bring tears to your eyes.

 

They had to destroy $20 million of beer because of the cigarette and alcohol ban there. 

[Canuck1966]

1 hour ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

It's what Thais (if they are honest) really ever want in the first place.

Fly in, drop off your cash and then f&%K off

[Canuck1966]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They want Prayut to contact the German government or other authority in Germany to help them

????

Not sure the Germans are going to listen to a dictator about some spurious claim

[Canuck1966]

17 minutes ago, malathione said:

Would be helpful if you actually bothered to read before posting. This is for services utilized. 

Allegedly.

Thais are about as trustworthy as a fart after food poisoning

They know more about angles than Ronnie O Sullivan

Edited May 18, 2020 by Canuck1966

[malathione]

1 minute ago, Canuck1966 said:

allegedly 

Indeed so. You're right.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

Many of the bookings are for January and February. For those bookings customers have paid Tui in full, customers stayed for the full period but Tui is not paying.

 

 

[stevenl]

3 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

Allegedly.

Thais are about as trustworthy as a fart after food poisoning

They know more about angles than Ronnie O Sullivan

No, not allegedly. This is for services utilised, end off.

[vinny41]

Tui are doing the same in Spain and other countries

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/369853/tui-group-defers-75-of-winter-hotel-payments

[Zikomat]

Why should TUI pay out anything if they know that their business is essentially over? The one who is left with the cash at the moment of crisis - wins. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I edited this as I have done a bit of research and it appears TUI is in big trouble.

 

May 11th - Announced measures to curb COVID-19 transmission when things get back to normal

May 12th - No travel until 12th June 2020

May 12th - Announced 8000 job cuts

May 15th - Critical travel advice issued including refund credits with bonus incentive or cash refund

May 16th - TUI announce doctor's notes required for refunds

May 18th - Thai hoteliers appeal for help after being stiffed

 

I wouldn't hold my breath for payment if I was a Thai hotelier. It's going to get very interesting how bad this crisis is going to be for the Thai tourism industry. Personally I think everyone is underestimating the situation... this is like an apocalypse for tourism and that is 20% or so of Thai GDP.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Mr Meeseeks

[Rookiescot]

Think I shall write to the PM and tell him I am not getting as much money as I used to because of the strength of the Baht.

Perhaps he would be good enough to furnish me with some cash and have a word with foreign leaders.

[Zikomat]

20 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I edited this as I have done a bit of research and it appears TUI is in big trouble.

 

May 11th - Announced measures to curb COVID-19 transmission when things get back to normal

May 12th - No travel until 12th June 2020

May 12th - Announced 8000 job cuts

May 15th - Critical travel advice issued including refund credits with bonus incentive or cash refund

May 16th - TUI announce doctor's notes required for refunds

May 18th - Thai hoteliers appeal for help after being stiffed

 

I wouldn't hold my breath for payment if I was a Thai hotelier. It's going to get very interesting how bad this crisis is going to be for the Thai tourism industry. Personally I think everyone is underestimating the situation... this is like an apocalypse for tourism and that is 20% or so of Thai GDP.

It is going to be as bad as only possible. 
p.s. I wonder if the billion bahts donations made by Western lovers to their Thai gfs are somehow included in those 20% number. If not - then the real number should be much higher.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Zikomat

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

Deal with it! Most of us are in the same situation. Why should they pay if nobody was staying... Idiodic to think otherwise. They clearly have to pay their customers back. Its the right thing to do you greedy pigs. 

Air Asia hasn't paid me back for 4 flights they cancelled ....... and their hand is out as well.

[Ayemanomad]

I know. 5555 But I do believe in telling the truth! 

[timendres]

We are now beginning to see the ripples. The lockdowns were the stone tossed into the water. The ripples have now begin to spread. Like dominos, this absurdity is going to cause waves of economic spectacles that are going to surprise many.