Lemondropkid Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 Was just starting to look at airfares for this November and seeing some decent deals from the UK. The prospect of taking advantage of the absence of the huge Chinese tour groups, particularly to do another run to Angkor Wat, and go back to some of the tourist spots in BKK in peace, really appeals. Also following @Krapow recent TR there will certainly be some amazing hotel deals. What's your guess on when our friends from the East will be allowed out again- if ever??? Reasonably interesting piece from a seasoned Asian journalist on the UK Bloomberg site https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-05-22/china-tourism-crackdown-restricting-travel-abroad-will-hurt-everybody A snippet: "It's possible that these are temporary measures to be lifted when China decides that Covid is no longer a threat. The regulations don't say. But China's recent decision to cancel international sporting events scheduled for mid-2023 implies that it won't be next year. The government's growing concern about talent and capital fleeing China suggests that the regulations, in some form, will probably last much longer and become a kind of new, restricted normal." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galenkia Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 No Chinese and Russians. Just like the old days 😂 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toy Boy Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 From what I've read, the Chinese are installing thousands of permanent Covid testing stations, about the size of an old telephone booth, around places like Shanghai, the idea being that every single person will have to get a negative test every few days in order to get a green light on the app on their phone which allows them to go places and do things. Xi has made so much about China's supposed victory against Covid being a demonstration of the superiority of the Chinese system over ragtag Western democracies that he'll find it very difficult to do an about-face. OTOH, given the growing levels of state repression in Chinese society, he might well feel that keeping his minions at home rather than allowing them to wander democratic foreign countries as they please is not a bad thing. I'd be surprised if we see the Chinese let off their leashes anytime soon, Covid is a part of life in most of the world now but their government still seems to think it can keep it away. Good luck with that. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 1 hour ago, galenkia said: No Chinese and Russians. Just like the old days 😂 I wish I could go back to 2002 and start doing it all over again. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galenkia Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 10 minutes ago, Jambo said: I wish I could go back to 2002 and start doing it all over again. When I first started going 20+ years ago I usually stayed at Sunshine Garden Hotel by the Dolphin roundabout. North Pattaya was a mainly German area. Last time I was there it was mainly Asian /Indian and Russian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillearly Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 1 hour ago, galenkia said: No Chinese and Russians. Just like the old days 😂 Think the Russians started flying direct to Utapao around 1993 , there were definitely large groups on my first time to Patts 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1000 Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 2 hours ago, galenkia said: When I first started going 20+ years ago I usually stayed at Sunshine Garden Hotel by the Dolphin roundabout. North Pattaya was a mainly German area. Last time I was there it was mainly Asian /Indian and Russian. My first ever stay in Pattaya was there. Always enjoyed the buffett breakfast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krapow Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 I noticed Chinese flights on the boards at Swampy on Saturday evening. Though I assume are not 'tourist' flights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 (edited) 9 hours ago, Krapow said: I noticed Chinese flights on the boards at Swampy on Saturday evening. Though I assume are not 'tourist' flights. Well there must be loads of Lazada and Shopee flights every week... Edited June 28, 2022 by fforest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyman Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 4 hours ago, Krapow said: I noticed Chinese flights on the boards at Swampy on Saturday evening. Though I assume are not 'tourist' flights. Business people and students only - for now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted June 28, 2022 Author Share Posted June 28, 2022 3 hours ago, monkeyman said: Business people and students only - for now. Yep, I'm in a University town in the north of England and there are stacks of Chinese students here. All very well dressed, good mannered and wearing a mask when out and about- even though there is no reason or law for doing so. Most likely children of senior Party members. Not so sure travel will resume as quickly for the proletariat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 2 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: Yep, I'm in a University town in the north of England and there are stacks of Chinese students here. All very well dressed, good mannered and wearing a mask when out and about- even though there is no reason or law for doing so. Most likely children of senior Party members. Not so sure travel will resume as quickly for the proletariat The Asians love of masks is strange....Even when in England or America they still want to wear the stupid things when no one else is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forcebwithu Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 9 hours ago, fforest said: Well there must be loads of Lazada and Shopee flights every week... Doubt it given how long it takes to get an order shipped from China to Thailand. Well below minimum stall speed, more like taxi speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWA Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Two flights per week just been given approval acording to this article from yesterday. Initially business and students as monkeyman mentions. https://tpnnational.com/2022/06/28/thailand-aims-to-attract-more-chinese-tourists-after-two-thai-china-flights-initially-granted-operational-approval/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Dangleberries Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 8 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: Yep, I'm in a University town in the north of England and there are stacks of Chinese students here. All very well dressed, good mannered and wearing a mask when out and about- even though there is no reason or law for doing so. I have mentioned that I worked in PRC for 2 years in the early '90s but I failed to mention that I also worked there with a couple of Geordies. The local fashion items at the time were the cloth carrier bag from the Chinese Uni that they had attended ....... this was beaten by a Duty Free carrier bag but nothing ....NOTHING ..... compared to a UK shopping carrier bag! The 2 Geordies were epileptic with laughter when they saw some youths proudly showing off their placcy shopping bags from some local shopping centre ........in Gateshead! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 21 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: What's your guess on when our friends from the East will be allowed out again- if ever??? To which one needs to add - "What will be restrictions imposed by their own Government in order to return home ? Several weeks Quarantine or some such ? Devil in the detail ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted June 29, 2022 Author Share Posted June 29, 2022 2 hours ago, Zeb said: To which one needs to add - "What will be restrictions imposed by their own Government in order to return home ? Several weeks Quarantine or some such ? Devil in the detail ? That's a very good point. Coincidentally they have only just cut the quarantine for overseas travellers from 14 to 7 days, which would still put off most tourists https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-shanghai-both-free-new-local-covid-cases-first-time-months-2022-06-28/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazle Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 One place in Pattaya seems to be expecting them back - 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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