The love affair between Chinese tourists and Thailand hit its first big reality check last month, according to Vichit Prakobgosol, one of the matchmakers who helped the relationship blossom.
The Thai-Chinese tour operator’s CCT Group saw the number of Chinese visitors plunge after street protests convulsed Bangkok – with the prospect of more trouble to come as opposition activists started blocking roads late yesterday to shut down the city from today. “January is normally high season because of Chinese New Year but, if the situation worsens, volumes may be down more than 50 per cent,” said Mr Vichit, who founded CCT a quarter of a century ago.
His company welcomed 7,000 Chinese arrivals to the Thai capital in December, compared with an expected minimum of 15,000.