5.2.8.2 Is There a Way to a Mutual Respect for Both the Thai Host
and the Chinese Visitors?
Tour guides are important. They must tell the visitors what to do and what not to do
before the visitors arrive at a sightseeing place.
Thais are taught to exclaim Poo-ke-I (phonetics for Do not do this!) when they
see Chinese doing things that are not according to Thai customs. The administrator
of the Facebook page,“we love Chinese tourists,”reports that having such an
online page gives access for Thais to complain about some Chinese tourist mis-
behaviors. However, that may lead to stereotyping of all Chinese which causes
discrimination and hatred. He agrees with other online key informants that the
Chinese tourists who create issues in Thailand are only a minority.
Thais and Chinese people are brothers and sisters. Many Thais are Chinese
descendants. Mutual respect should begin with being polite and respectful to one
another. Studying the host country’s customs before traveling is necessary.
Stereotyping of Chinese should be discouraged for Thais. The social media and
edutainment media could help boosting mutual understanding between the two
cultures.
5.2.8.3 How Can Thailand Improve on the Tourism Industry Toward
Sustainability or Ecotourism?
Training more qualified Thai guides who can speak Chinese should be more
emphasized. At present, only 2000 Chinese speaking Thai tourist guides“graduate”
each year. Not enough to cope with the 5 million tourists a year. Thailand could
offer to also train Chinese guides from China to understand Thai culture and cus-
toms better. The ethical conduct of tourist guides must be emphasized, and tight
quality control of tourist guides should be implemented.
Thailand needs to stop the zero-dollar tourism scheme and collaborate more with
four partners: Chinese tour agencies, Thai tour agencies, Thai government, and
Chinese government. Screening for quality tourists is necessary. The number of
tourists should be limited as well. Money cannot buy natural habitats and historical
sites back. The Modernization paradigm that emphasizes growth and GDP from
tourism as easy money should not be used as a framework. The multiplicity
paradigm, which advocates respect for the local culture, preserving the environment
and ecosystem as well as considering the social cost, should be taken into account
instead.
Online discussants admit that Thais are not capable to manage visiting places,
shops, or restaurants adequately. Handing out a queue card or arranging that people
need to stay in line is not a big issue. Overseas companies and overseas guides that
are not qualified must be banned. This would help the locals benefit from tourism.
To organize ecotourism needs collaboration from many partners: the Tourism
Authority of Thailand, tour agencies, schools and centers for training qualified
tourist guides, government officials and employees of touristic sites, the local
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