Following hundreds of news stories in local media on Chinese tourists and their less-than-decent behavior, the mainlanders have reportedly boycotted traveling to Thailand, causing Thai officials to worry.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will invite the Chinese media for a talk to clear up a “misunderstanding” that Thais don’t like Chinese tourists because of their inappropriate manners.
According to Now TV, the silent protest against the Thai people have been going on for a few months and the number of Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai has dropped 30 percent and it will likely continue to drop, said Boonta Chailert, president of Association of Thai Travel Agents in Chiang Mai.
TAT Governor Yutthasak Supasorn said that Chinese media such as CCTV, Sin Hua website, People Daily and @Mangu have been invited to Thailand to discuss the anti-Chinese tourists sentiment in the social media, Thai PBS reported.
Yutthasak said Thai people actually welcome Chinese tourists because they bring a lot of revenue into Thailand.
He said, “There is no way that Thai people hate or look down on Chinese tourists.” However, occasional social media posts from Thai people heavily condemn Chinese tourists and tell a different story.
From Chinese tourists fighting at 7-Eleven, scooping too much food at the buffet, or just simply playing cards at the airport, it seems anything that involves Chinese tourists can be a story.
Charoen Pokphand’s CEO, Thanakorn Seriburi, also warned Thais not to chase away Chinese tourists as their online rants can result in a big losses in the Thai economy.
“Do not miss out on opportunity. More Chinese will travel, and if they avoid Thailand and chose to visit other countries instead, Thailand will lose so much,” said Thanakorn at a seminar yesterday held by the Foreign Trade Department.
Thailand was the top travel destination for Chinese people last year with a total of 7.9 million travelers visiting Thailand. The number accounts for a 70 percent increase from 2014.
