More Chinese visitors to Thailand with high purchasing power

BANGKOK, February 16 (TNA) - Thailand now welcomes more Chinese tourists with high purchasing power who have also provided financial support for flood victims in the Thai South. Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarun told journalists of the update on February 15, after welcoming two top executives of US-based Meridian Private Lending Group, Mr. Luacis Kristaps and Mr. Vilde Juris, who are leading their company's over 300 employees from all Chinese provinces to visit Bangkok and Pattaya during February 15-18 as an annual holiday trip for them, at a per head reward of 10,000 yuan or about 50,000 baht. Pongpanu said the Chinese tour group is considered a quality one in line with his ministry's target and strategy on raising the country's tourism quality. The senior official also thanked the Chinese tour group, whose members have also provided financial support to flood victims in the Thai South although the flooding situation in the region has already returned to normal. According to the senior official, there are now no more zero-dollar tours from China and his ministry will do the best to attract more quality international tourist arrivals in Thailand. Earlier, there were zero-dollar or kickback tours from China, in which tourists were offered tour packages at lower prices than the real costs but they were later overcharged through shopping or services at shops in the tour operators' networks or they came to Thailand on tourist visa but staying to run business illegally under a fraudulent registration and threatening national security. Meanwhile, the two top executives told reporters the main reason his group opted to visit Thailand is that Chinese people see the Thai Kingdom as a quality tourist destination with reasonable travelling costs.(TNA)