Thailand records 1.75% y/y drop in foreign visitors so far in 2025
BANGKOK, May 20 (Reuters) - Thailand's foreign tourist arrivals from January 1 to May 18 fell 1.75% from the same period a year earlier, the Tourism Ministry said on Tuesday.
There were about 13.4 million foreign visitors in the period, it said in a statement. China was the largest source market, with 1.83 million visitors.
On Monday, the National Economic and Social Development Council cut its forecast for foreign tourist arrivals this year to 37 million from 38 million. There was a record of nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, before the pandemic.
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Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
China says it is working with France on trade differnces, no sign yet of a cognac deal
BEIJING/PARIS, June 6 (Reuters) - China and France have agreed to resolve their trade disputes through dialogue, China's foreign ministry said on Friday, though there was no indication that agreement had been reached in talks on lifting Chinese levies on European brandy. Talks to resolve the cognac dispute accelerated this week with China's commerce minister Wang Wentao meeting his French counterpart in Paris on the sidelines of an OECD conference, and technical talks on the matter taking place in Beijing. The latest round of negotiations have raised hopes of a settlement, two industry sources with knowledge of the discussions said. "The two sides have reached consensus on resolving economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation", the Chinese foreign ministry said after a call between the Chinese and French foreign ministers. Chinese anti-dumping measures that applied duties of up to 39% on imports of European brandy - with French cognac bearing the brunt - have strained relations between Paris and Beijing. The brandy duties were enforced days after the European Union took action against Chinese-made electric vehicle imports to shield its local industry, prompting France's President Emmanuel Macron to accuse Beijing of "pure retaliation". The Chinese duties have dented sales of brands including LVMH's ( opens new tab Hennessy, Pernod Ricard's ( opens new tab Martell and Remy Cointreau ( opens new tab. Beijing was initially meant to make a final decision on the duties by January, but extended the deadline to April and then again to July 5. China is seeking to strengthen trade ties with the 27-member bloc as relations with the United States have soured in the escalating trade war. "France will not compromise on ... the protection of its industries, such as cognac," French trade minister Laurent Saint-Martin said after talks with Wang on Wednesday. Chinese officials, meanwhile, signalled to industry officials during three rounds of technical meetings in Beijing this week they wanted to settle the matter, one of the sources said, but added some sticking points remained. With annual imports of around $1.7 billion last year, China is the French brandy industry's most important measured by value and the second-largest by volume after the United States.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: US suspends licenses to ship nuclear plant parts to China, sources say
June 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. in recent days suspended licenses for nuclear equipment suppliers to sell to China's power plants, according to four people familiar with the matter, as the two countries engage in a damaging trade war. The suspensions were issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the people said, and affect export licenses for parts and equipment used with nuclear power plants. Nuclear equipment suppliers are among a wide range of companies whose sales have been restricted over the past two weeks as the U.S.-China trade war shifted from negotiating tariffs to throttling each other's supply chains. It is unclear whether a Thursday call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would affect the suspensions. The U.S. and China agreed on May 12 to roll back triple digit, tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, but the truce between the two biggest economies quickly went south, with the U.S. claiming China reneged on terms related to rare earth elements, and China accusing the U.S. of "abusing export control measures" by warning that using Huawei Ascend AI chips anywhere in the world violated U.S. export controls. After Thursday's call, further talks on key issues were expected. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment on the nuclear equipment restrictions. On May 28, a spokesperson said the department was reviewing exports of strategic significance to China. "In some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional license requirements while the review is pending," the spokesperson said in a statement. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. nuclear equipment suppliers include Westinghouse and Emerson (EMR.N), opens new tab. Westinghouse, whose technology is used in over 400 nuclear reactors around the world, and Emerson, which provides measurement and other tools for the nuclear industry, did not respond to requests for comment. The suspensions affect business worth hundreds of millions of dollars, two of the sources said. They also coincide with Chinese restrictions on critical metals threatening supply chains for manufacturers worldwide, especially America's Big Three automakers. Reuters could not determine whether the new restrictions were tied to the trade war, or if and how quickly they might be reinstated. Department of Commerce export licenses typically run for four years and include authorized quantities and values. But many new restrictions on exports to China have been imposed in the last two weeks, according to sources, and include license requirements for a hydraulic fluids supplier for sales to China. Other license suspensions went to GE Aerospace for jet engines for China's COMAC aircraft, sources said. The U.S. also now requires licenses to ship ethane to China, as Reuters reported first last week. Houston-based Enterprise Product Partners (EPD.N), opens new tab said Wednesday that its emergency requests to complete three proposed cargoes of ethane to China, totaling some 2.2 million barrels, had not been granted. Enterprise said a May 23 requirement for a license to sell butane to China, in addition to the ethane, was subsequently withdrawn. Dallas-based Energy Transfer said it was notified on Tuesday about the new ethane licensing requirement, and planned to apply and file for an emergency authorization. Other sectors that have been hit with new restrictions include companies that sell electronic design automation software such as Cadence Design Systems (CDNS.O), opens new tab.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Popular Greek tourist resort labelled 'ultimate rip off'
The first sundowner of the evening is always a holiday highlight - but not if you're paying through the nose for it. One of Greece's prettiest spots, the ancient Old Town of Rhodes, has been red flagged as a major hotspot for overcharging tourists, according to reviews on Google and TripAdvisor . The area's narrow network of streets are filled with places to imbibe everything from local Dodecanese beer to shots of ouzo, but according to some disgruntled tourists, a visit to Rhodes' Old Town also leaves visitors vulnerable to inflated prices - with a string of bars accused of 'scamming' tourists. One of the most common tricks, say drinkers, comes via the 'Rhodes Boot', a boot-shaped glass vessel that can hold up to two litres of beer. Customers at bars in the Old Town say when they've asked for a small or medium beer, they're frequently been presented with the 'Boot', and then charged handsomely for it, whether they drank it or not - with prices starting at around 10 euros (£8.40) for the sizeable drink. Reviews of the Chevalier Shisha & Cocktail Lounge Bar, which is in the main square of Rhodes' Old Town and enjoys the attention of tourist crowds all summer long thanks to its atmospheric setting, has been on the receiving end of some particularly scathing reviews. One person, who visited in April, criticised the 'very poor service' and 'shocking attitude', as well as claiming they were given a second menu when they paid their bill at the bar - with very different prices. While there are plenty of positive reviews for the shisha bar, which has a three-and-a-half star rating on TripAdvisor, another unhappy customer claimed the establishment charged them 32 euros (£26) for two small cocktails, despite advertising the price at 20 euros (£16). A similar post from last summer also flagged the lack of clear pricing, saying: 'There are no menus and they don't tell you prices of drinks until you're paying the bill. 'They don't tell you that if you order a large cocktail you will get a fish bowl, which is £35 and a large beer is a 2 litre boot, which cost £18.' It seems to be a similar story at The Gate, another bustling venue in Rhodes' Old Town, where drinkers also reported being unhappy at the lack of transparency when it comes to prices. Just two weeks ago, four tourists said they paid 60 euros (£50) for a medium beer, cider, and two medium frozen daiquiris, with the reviewer calling the cocktails 'the worst I have ever come across', and claiming they 'didn't taste any alcohol'. Another declared the venue a 'tourist trap', writing: 'There is a reason why the drinks menu has no prices. I thought it was safe enough to order a sparkling water. It cost €5 (£4.20).' The bar earned just two stars out of five from 154 reviews on Google - with the food described as 'standard' but the drink prices never clear according to those who've visited it. A short walk away, a bar named Rendez Vous currently has just 1.9 stars on TripAdvisor, with ambiguous prices again behind the low score. One holidaymaker on the sun-drenched island last month said Rendez Vous had 'horrible prices' and urged people to 'ask or check them before ordering anything'. Another revealed they'd paid 15 euros for two soft drinks, writing: 'A shame. The staff were cold and unpleasant, and the prices are a real scam. Two cokes charged at 15 euros? (£12.60)' Meanwhile at the Panorama Cafe & Bar, there was more bad news, with those who'd enjoyed a drink there in recent months split on their experiences. 'We go in, ask for 'one small, and one medium size beer'. Server repeats. But a little later two 'boots' arrive, one of about 2 litres, one of at least one litre.' When it comes to paying, the customer was told 'we don't do small beers', and served up a 20 euro (£16.80) bill. And it seems it's been going on a while; back in 2022, one person penned: You'll be provided a menu with no featured prices. 'After you're finished with your watered down cocktail, served with low quality alcohol, you'll be presented with an outrageous bill. Ours was 70 euros (£58) for 2 cocktails. If I could give zero rating I would.' Another visitor said the view was sublime, but the service not quite the same standard, writing: 'Overall: unacceptable shop, service, drink and boss', although they said the cocktails served were reasonably priced. Over in Italy, tourists were warned this week about a potential scam involving one of the country's most famous foods - gelato. Tourists have been urged to take care when ordering ice cream in Italian destinations this summer as they could be being duped. Italian gelato is world famous for its creamy texture with tourists often flocking to purchase iconic flavours such as pistachio and stracciatella . But they might not be getting the real thing. The Express reports that many tourists are actually buying a cheap copy of gelato with the cheeky scam particularly prevalent in Rome. Foodies at explain that classic gelato is 'churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream'. And there's also an easier way for tourists to spot inauthentic gelato. If the ice cream colours are particularly bright, it's generally a sign that you're not buying a real gelato. Classic gelato is usually pale in colour as makers don't use artificial food colouring during the process. Tourists can also check reviews on Google and Tripadvisor to find gelato cafes with particularly high ratings.
