Thailand’s ‘zero-dollar’ tour packages weigh on sector despite crackdown

The tours involve Chinese visitors paying Thai-based companies low prices for their package holiday. But once in the Southeast Asian nation, they are often pressured into buying overpriced food, accommodation and gifts.

The government said the low-budget trips had tarnished Thailand’s image and police had frequently conducted enforcement blitzes to rein in the tours.

But those efforts do not seem to have produced the desired results, with foreigners accused of engaging in unsustainable price wars that threaten to inflict economic losses on local travel firms.

The Association of Thai Travel Agents said more foreign nationals were offering zero-dollar deals by using locals as proxies for their illegal business.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the group, said licensed Thai operators were no match for their unauthorised counterparts who entice tourists with ultra-cheap packages and recoup the losses by forcing them to buy expensive products from particular shops.

“This is the worst operating environment I’ve encountered in my entire life working in the tour business,” Sisdivachr said.

He added the notorious strategy, once used to fleece Chinese tourists, has now been replicated to lure Russians and Indians.

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Sisdivachr also raised the matter with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin last week, saying the tactics could wipe out competition and monopolise the tourism industry that accounts for about 12 per cent of the kingdom’s gross domestic product.

He said the zero-dollar scheme tainted the kingdom’s travel reputation as guests are strong-armed into paying for services they do not want and it does not contribute to the public coffers because the illicit