If not barred, Chinese drivers need testing

I disagree with Pakaimass Viara of the Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce that tourist vehicles from China should be allowed to enter Thailand without any regulation. Chinese motorists are familiar with driving on the right side of the road, while in Thailand we drive on the left. There have been cases when Chinese drivers overtook cars on the wrong side of the road and caused horrific accidents.

It would be better to have Chinese drivers tested and have their vehicles insured.

Another reason is that, if these tourists cannot enter in their own cars, they will use buses, trains and planes in our country, which will be beneficial to those enterprises. What do we have to lose, anyway?

Thai tourism chiefs in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are too eager to please tourists from China. They should copy Japan and concentrate on attracting more affluent and better-educated tourists from China.

Don’t listen too much to those in the private sector – they want a huge number of tourists from China 365 days a year.

Vint Chavala