4.Research and Analysis

4.1 Analysis to Thailand’s Focus Level to Chinese Tourists

Thailand has paid few focus on China for a long period. But since 2014，focus level on Chinese tourists in Thailand has ascended year by year with more and more important role of Chinese tourists in Thai tourist industry and aggravation of conflicts between Chinese tourists and Thai society. Thai society has paid more focus on Chinese tourists’ behaviors，especially the news of tourists’ uncivilized behaviors. The increase in the number of news on Chinese tourists has urged Thai society to shape new image of Chinese tourists. New image of Chinese tourists，has also become an important influencing factor to shape China’s image.

4.2 Analysis to Thailand’s General Attitude to Chinese Tourists

There are total 146 news samples from Thai Rath，including 62 samples which make positive comments to Chinese tourists’ behaviors，Chinese tourists’ image and Thai and Chinese tourist market，59 samples which make neutral comments and 21 samples which make negative comments.

There are total 10 comment samples from Thai Rath，including 5 samples which make positive comments to Chinese tourists’behaviors，Chinese tourists’image and Thai and Chinese tourist market，2 samples which make neutral comments and 3 samples which make negative comments.

Thailand’s leading news media holds a positive attitude to Chinese tourists for a whole，which is not same as the attitude of Thai social network and Chinese news report. Thai social network holds a negative attitude to Chinese tourists for a whole. Chinese tourists’negative news are not only spread on Thai social media in the name of individuals，but also some of them are spread by organizations，including groups such as “we love Chinese tourists（เรารักนักท่องเที่ยวจีน）” and “Chiang Mai opposes Chinese”（Anti Chinese in Chiang Mai ต่อต้านนักท่องเที่ยวจีนในเชียงใหม่）existed on Facebook. Meanwhile，Thailand’s leading media’s attitude to Chinese tourists is contrary to the reports on China’s self-media and leading media. It’s generally held in the report of Chinese media that Thai people holds a negative attitude to Chinese tourists.

Comments on Thailand’s leading media are mainly positive and focus on the influence of Chinese tourists to tourist market. Thai people’s behavior to oppose and reproach Chinese tourists is criticized in the comments，meanwhile negative comments to non-standardization of Thai and Chinese tourist market and Chinese capital’s penetration into Thai tourist market are also given.

4.3 Thailand’s Report on Chinese Tourists’ Positive Image

Thailand’s leading media makes the active and positive report to Chinese tourists’ image. Thailand’s leading media holds that，Chinese tourists could promote Thailand’s economic growth actively and Chinese Government also constraints tourists’uncivilized behaviors actively through promulgation of laws. Meanwhile，it could report disputes on Thai merchants’cheating Chinese tourists objectively，and holds that the parties to result in such disputes is not Chinese tourists，but Thailand’s illegal merchants.

Chinese tourists’uncivilized behaviors have been reduced and Chinese Government has solved the problems actively. After China’s first tourism law was promulgated in 2013，Thailand has made corresponding report and holds a positive and support attitude. Thailand holds that Chinese Government has cracked down tourists’uncivilized behaviors actively in the problems such as the dispute between Chinese tourists and air hostess of Airasia Airlines and restrained Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors. Thailand holds that the increase in the news on Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors is also caused by the increase in the number of Chinese tourists. With Thailand’s more focus on the group of Chinese tourists，infrastructure construction has been enhanced and mutual cultural exchange has also been increased and Chinese tourists have had a better understanding to Thailand and uncivilized behaviors are cut down continuously.

Chinese tourists have become the victims of Thailand’s illegal merchants. Thailand holds that Chinese tourists have also cheated by Thailand’s illegal merchants and become victims. Thailand’s illegal merchants sell products to Chinese tourists through bidding up price or charge Chinese tourists too high expenses in the process of leasing vehicles and motorboats. Some Chinese tourists are thrown away by Thai travel agencies and tour guides and scenic sites’ marking up price to Chinese tourists has also caused Chinese tourists’benefits to be damaged. Thailand holds that Chinese tourists fall within vulnerable groups in right protection and should be protected by the government.

4.4 Thailand’s Report on Chinese Tourists’ Negative Image

There are total 146 news reports on the website of Thai Rath，including 58 news involving Chinese tourists’ behaviors，accounting for 39.7% of the total. There are total 10 comments，including 1 news involving Chinese tourists’ behaviors，accounting for 10% of the total. Thailand’s reports on Chinese tourists’ negative image include two kinds，one is Chinese tourists’ improper behaviors caused by differences in culture and system，and the other one is Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors breaching social basic etiquette.

Thai society indicates its understanding to Chinese tourists’ improper behaviors caused by differences in culture and system，but can’t accept Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors breaching social basic etiquette.

4.4.1 Thai society understands that Chinese tourists’improper behaviors are caused by differencesincultureandsystem.

Chinese tourists jumped off the songthaew in Chiang Mai and caused death.Chinese tourists reported a case in Pattaya to show that they were forced by merchants to buy crocodile leather wallets in Ko Pha Ngan，but Thai police held that Chinese tourists were on suspicion of cheating insurance after investigation finally. Chinese tourists put the fishes under protection to plastic bags in Phang Nga Province to take photos and fed fishes in kainoIsl and，all of which has damaged Thai society’s rules.

Thailand is a cultural society and Thai people pay much attention to following social rules and will follow the rules consciously under general circumstances. When it needs to wait in line in the station，metro station and elevator in Thailand，Thai people will be very polite and wait in line. Therefore，it’s very difficult for Thai people to understand Chinese tourists’ behaviors of not following rules.

Chinese tourists wore university uniform to take photos in Chiang Mai University and they didn’t understand the meaning of university uniform. Thailand’s university uniform is the symbol of studentship and also represents the university’s honor，so those who are not university students can’t wear the uniform. The event that Chinese tourists hung out underwear in Chiang Mai Airport is also a behavior of not knowing Thai custom.Underwear in Thai culture refers to very private and in elegant articles and should be hung in the space out of the sight of strangers and shouldn’t be placed in the balcony. Therefore，Chinese tourists’hanging underwear in the airport’s seat，has been regarded as offensive to others.

Thai culture has not only included traditional morality，but also influenced by rules of Buddhism. Chinese tourists wore skimpy clothes and made poses too ambiguously to take photos in the temple and these has breached rules of Thai Buddhism. When Chinese tourists visited the White Temple，they were not conscious that the White Temple is a temple and lacked of respect.

It’s thought in Thai culture that smoking is a behavior to effect others and not accepted. Cigarettes can’t be publicly displayed at the time of selling and the shots of smoking appeared in the TV and film could be pixilated. Smoking is not allowed in public buildings and smokers will keep away from the crowd or go to special smoking area for smoking generally and will not display their own cigarettes publicly. But some Chinese tourists smoked in the crowed place.Though this is not in breach of laws，it will be regarded as a behavior of not respecting others.

Thailand has also sought solutions actively at the same time of showing understanding to Chinese tourists’improper behaviors. Chiang Mai University was once closed and Chinese tourists were not allowed for entry after lots of Chinese tourists entered into the campus and made uncivilized behaviors. But Chiang Mai University made adjustment in the following and welcomed Chinese tourists and accepts 500 visitors every day. And the tour route with electric vehicles is open and student guides are equipped. The problem that Chinese tourists effect normal teaching order has been solved. Chinese tourists are also willing to buy the tour ticket at the price of 60Thai baht and this has brought income to the university and internship opportunities for students in the major of Tourism.

On Aug. 15，2015，Chiang Mai University organized a celebration activity for the tourist who ranks 111，111 especially and distributed gifts and tour ticket freely. Chinese tourists were also satisfactory with the route arranged by Chiang Mai University.

4.4.2 It’s difficult for Thailand to accept Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors breaching social basic etiquette.

Chinese tourists’uncivilized behaviors breaching social basic etiquette mainly focus on how to use public facilities. Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors in Chiang Mai Province were very serious，including Chinese tourists’ peeing in Chiang Mai’s moat（checked to be not Chinese tourists after investigation），Chinese tourists’no flushing after leaving the toilet，joining in the activities organized by the hotel without permission and camping in Chiang Mai University. When Chinese tourists visited the Black Temple，they kicked off black wooden handrail with the history of 30 years for taking the photos of jumping up and didn’t keep the toilet clean after leaving.

There were also similar behaviors when Chinese tourists visited the White Temple in Chiang Rai. Chinese tourists also didn’t flush the toilet and caused the White Temple to close the toilet once and forbid Chinese tourists from entry. Chinese tourists washed their shoes and feet in the wash basin of the toilet in PP Island and caused the natural protection area managing the toilet to dispatch special personnel to clean the washbasin completely.

When Chinese tourists fed the little tiger in Sriracha Tiger Zoo，they kicked the iron cage violently and caused the little tiger to suffer scare for fun. Additionally，Chinese tourists also had uncivilized behaviors such as speaking loudly at the places of keeping quiet，not following traffic rules and conflict with service staff.

Meanwhile，Thailand has criticized and reproached Chinese people’s behavior to engage in business by fraudulent use of Thai people’s status through the convenience of applying for status in the north and northeast of Thailand. Some persons in part of Thai travel agencies used the status of Thai people fraudulently，especially those travel agencies in Phuket and Pattaya. Meanwhile，lots of travel agencies made up the benefit chain charging no fees together and caused lots of tourist group of low quality to enter in Thailand and consume Thailand’s public resources but with no corresponding benefit brought to Thai tourist industry. Thailand holds that fraudulent use of Thai people’s status and operation mode of charging no fees have destroyed Thailand’s economic order and brought very bad influence to Thai tourist industry seriously.

4.5 Thailand’s Rethinking to Chinese Tourists’ Phenomena

4.5.1.It’s thought that cultural conflict is the main factor in understanding of Chinese tourists’ behaviors

Thailand holds that，only a few Chinese tourists have uncivilized behaviors and not knowing Thai culture is the main reason to cause Chinese tourists to have uncivilized behaviors. In the accident that Chinese tourists hung underwear in Chiang Mai Airport，Thailand’s social network has criticized Chinese tourists’ behavior seriously，but the responsible person in Chiang Mai Airport pointed out in the news that Chinese tourists’ behavior is not in breach of laws，just not knowing Thailand’s custom and culture. In the accident that Chinese tourists wore the university uniform to take photos in Chiang Mai University，Chiang Mai University also held that Chinese tourists are not in breach of regulations purposely and just don’t know mutual culture after communication with Chinese tourists. In the accident of Chinese tourists’peeing in Chiang Mai’s moat（proved to be false news thereafter），it’s regarded as cultural conflict and mutual culture shall be publicized to remove cultural gap.

Meanwhile，it’s thought that cultural conflict is generally existed and Thai people also face with many circumstances of not knowing local culture and breaching the rules at the time of travel in other countries such as Japan.

4.5.2.Thailand’s tourist reception ability is limited and it’s thought that Chinese tourists shall not be condemned

Thailand holds that，Thailand’s tourist reception ability is limited and it has made good preparation for accepting lots of Chinese tourists. In the accident that Chinese tourists kicked off black wooden handrail in Black Temple to take photos，the Black Temple held that the the travel agency and the temple’s reception ability is limited.After that，the Black Temple asked the tour guides to increase explanation to Lanna culture and equipped 10 safeguards to be responsible to guide the tourists and protect them to be safe.

Chalermchai Kositpipat，the architect of the White Temple[12]，always criticized Chinese tourists before and showed Chinese tourists’uncivilized behaviors such as using the toilet uncivilly and smoking in the White Temple. But he rethought in the interview on Mar. 27，2016 and showed that “Chinese tourists are not wrong，we have not made good preparation”[13]. After consideration，Chalermchai Kositpipat showed that he should not complain Chinese tourists before，as the White Temple is lack of communication with Chinese tourists and there is no indication board in Chinese，no enough personnel and no the support by tour guides. Lack of reception ability has caused Chinese tourists to be not well cared and it’s impossible to provide guide for Chinese tourists.

Lack of Chinese tour guides in Thailand has also resulted in lack of reception ability. There are 4856 tour guides in Thailand who can speak Chinese and it’s difficult to accept millions of tourists each year.[14]Meanwhile，infrastructure construction in Thailand is not sufficient and reception ability for Chinese tourists is limited in the ways of transport，hotels and scenic sites，especially Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Muang Airport in Bangkok. The number of accepted tourists has exceeded the upper limit as designed for several years. The customs clearance in Suvarnabhumi Airport is slow and tourists often need to wait for 3-4 hours to be cleared by the customs during peak hours.

4.5.3 Thailand’s basic facilities are under overloaded operation

Since 2006，except political turmoil in Thailand in 2008-2009 and 2014，the number of foreign tourists has increased continuously. Meanwhile，Thailand is slow in infrastructure construction and the passenger throughput in Suvarnabhumi Airport has exceed the maximum designed value. In 2012，Thailand moved low-cost airline companies and most of airline companies flying domestic flights to Don Muang Airport to relieve the pressure of Suvarnabhumi Airport. But with continuous increase in the number of tourists，the number of passengers accepted by Suvarnabhumi Airport each year still exceeds the maximum design value[15]of 45 million persons/year. Tourist industry occupies most of resources in Suvarnabhumi Airport，and Thai government has not taken measures of restricting the number of tourists as to slow expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport，which has caused Suvarnabhumi Airport’s infrastructures to be difficult to meet the demands.

Source：Airports Council International（ACI）[16]

Faced with Suvarnabhumi Airport’s overloaded operation，Thailand’s airline industry also asked to stop starting new flights to the Thai government to prevent the airport from being more crowded. Aviation Operation Commission of Thailand（AOC）pointed out that it has used all the feasible methods to increase the capacity of the airport. In case of improving parking management，additional passengers couldn’t be accepted.[17]

The adviser of Thailand’s Tourist Association，Sidiwachala Chivaranapon[18] holds that，the level of Thai tour guides with certificates needs to be improved and part of Chinese tour guides can’t introduce scenic sites in Chinese. Tourist operators in Chiang Mai has also organized the training on Chinese and Chinese culture for tour guides and workstaff.

In the accident that Chinese tourists washed shoes and feet in the wash basin of the toilet，it’s reported in the news that humanized facilities is insufficient and footbath shall be added to meet the demand of tourists in this toilet near to the sand beach in natural protection area in Thailand.

Thailand holds that Chinese tourists should not be condemned，especially vituperation to Chinese tourists online. Both parties need to know each other and Thailand has not resisted Chinese tourists. Meanwhile Thai people are hoped to not take photos of Chinese tourists and send Chinese tourists’inelegant photos and videos online as a few persons’ behaviors have resulted in the contradiction between both parties.

4.5.4 Chinese tourists’ contribution to Thai economy is affirmed and it’s hoped to keep good relations

Ministry of Tourism and Sports，Tourism Authority of Thailand and Tourism Association always confirm Chinese tourists’ contribution to Thai economy. With rapid increase in the number of Chinese tourists from 2010，the ratio of Chinese tourists among foreign tourists in Thailand has ascended year by year. The number of Chinese tourists has become an important factor to effect Thai economy.

Thailand confirms the quality of Chinese tourists and holds that Chinese tourists rank in the middle and supper level among foreign tourist groups and Chinese tourists’average tourist consumption level is higher than average level of foreign tourists. Shown from the statistics data in 2016，Chinese tourists’per capita consumption is 5800 baht，while foreign tourists’per capita consumption is 5072 baht. Thai government also holds that，60% of Chinese tourists refer to high quality tourists，while 20% of them are middle-level consumption tourists and only 20% of the mare low consumption tourists charging no fees.

From 2015，Chinese tourists’ uncivilized behaviors in Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai Province online，has resulted in language criticism to Chinese tourists’uncivilized behaviors on Thailand’s social network for many times. In fact，parties concerned in some uncivilized events are not Chinese tourists.After Thailand’s news event is exposed through China’s self-media and traditional media，the idea that Thai people don’t like Chinese tourists becomes to be spread in China. In 2016，the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand descended and Thailand explained the situation to Chinese Government especially due to worrying the descending in Chinese tourists and invited such authorities as China Tourism Association to come to Thailand for survey on site. Tourist operators in Chiang Mai even carried the banner in Chinese “I love Chinese people” to show no prejudice to Chinese tourists.

Thailand holds that Chinese tourists will bring huge economic benefit to Thailand，so it hopes to keep good relation and create the broad environment to welcome Chinese tourists so as to promote the increase in the number of tourists.

Chinese tourists have increased greatly and the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand in 2015 came to 7，934，781 persons，accounting for 26.5%[19]of total foreign tourists in Thailand. China has become the biggest tourist source country for Thailand and the number of Chinese tourists has exceeded one tenth of Thai people[20]. Meanwhile，the number of Chinese tourists is increasing year by year.

Source：Ministry of Tourism and Sports，Thailand

Chinese Tourists’ Per Capita Consumption Increases

4.5.5 Neutral attitude. Thailand holds neutral attitude to Chinese tourists’ accidents and disputes occurred in Thailand

Thailand holds neutral attitude to disputes on Chinese tourists and doesn’t favor its own people. In the accident that a Chinese child of 5 years old tore up “ancient painting” in Chiang Mai in 2014，the resort claimed 80，000 baht against Chinese tourist，but the police interfered with such accident finally and asked the resort to return excessive compensation to the tourist and only claim only 25，000 baht.

In the accident that Chinese tourists were thrown away by the tour guide in Pattaya，Thai police interfered with such accident quickly and arrested the tour guide throwing away the tourist group and asked the travel agency to make compensation. In the accident that Chinese tourist died at the time of playing the game of flying in the jungle in Chiang Mai in 2015，Thai police also interfered with such accident and judged finally that it’s caused by the work staff’s improper operation and the bereaved was compensated for 2，500，000 baht.

In the accident that Chinese tourists caught fishes to take photos in Phang Nga Province in 2016，the magistrate in Phang Nga Province proved at once that，so-called photos on Chinese tourists’ catching fishes are old photos 3 years ago and Phang Nga Province has taken protective measures to prevent similar accidents.

Thailand also condemned its operators’behaviors such as charging no fees，bidding up the price of products and forcing Chinese tourists to buy products. It holds that these have destroyed Thailand’s tourist image.