This move is aimed at reducing the impact of these package deals, which are either very cheap or require tourists to pay nothing for trips to Thailand. But agents pressure Chinese tourists into buying overpriced goods and services once they arrive, leading to complaints.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul admitted it was difficult to enforce a crackdown on zero-dollar tours because it is a Chinese-style service and packages exist to several countries.
The problem remains even though the Chinese government imposed a policy to regulate outbound zero-dollar tours in late 2013. The Thai ministry will, therefore, focus on Thai proxies helping Chinese tour companies handle tourists here.
"We will cooperate with the Revenue Department to check tax payments by these Thai agents because most of them are not legally registered," said Ms Kobkarn.
The tax payment check is meant to ensure tourism income stays in the country rather than transferring to China.
The ministry also plans to work closely with the Tourism Department to tighten the rules on tour company registration.
Thailand now relies heavily on Chinese tourists to meet its tourism revenue target of B2.2 trillion in 2015 and B2.3 trillion in 2016. During the first half of this year, Chinese arrivals rose by 111 per cent to 4 million, generating tourism income of B190.91 billion, up 138.9pc year-on-year.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects to welcome 7.4 million Chinese tourists in 2015 and 8 million in 2016.
The boom of Chinese visitors has prompted Chinese tour agents to open companies here through proxy agents. The Chinese companies can earn income from both countries through their Thai agents.
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) said tour companies in Bangkok are not selling packages to new destinations because they are pressured by two big souvenir outlets.
Midsized and small tour operators accept commissions from the souvenir shops and sell expensive optional tours. The souvenir shop owners rent coaches from tour firms at the low price of B1,000 per day for the whole week. The normal rent for a coach is B5,000 a day.
The shop owners pay a commission of 30-40pc to tour agents based on souvenir sales from clients they brought to their shops.
"Tour agents bear a high cost from kickbacks, accommodation and food, becoming dependent on the commissions from souvenir shops and expensive optional tours," said ATTA vice-president Surawat Akaraworamat.
Tourists can even be forced to buy optional tours or face abandonment after they are taken outside city limits. Tour firms that illegally use Chinese guides use this tactic.
Most tour operators want to sell quality package tours but commissions make them dependent, he said.
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