The scam explains why a surge in Chinese tourist arrivals is not generating as much revenue as it should. The TPD chief said Chinese tourists fooled into the scam come to Thailand paying nothing more than the air fare. Chinese operators of zero-dollar tour services collude with Thais to trick Chinese tourists into paying for goods or extra tour services at rates much higher than usual. However, the shops they spend their money in are operated by proxies of Chinese tour gangs who take that money and send it back to China. In the past two weeks, many Chinese tour companies have been raided and suspects detained.

Source: Bangkok Post September 11, 2016 22:30 UTC