Due to fears of being kidnapped to work in scam centres, Chinese nationals have reportedly cancelled about 10,000 trips to Thailand during the Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays.
The cancellations come as the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing made viral headlines across the mainland.
Source: ThaimaaOpas on Unsplash
Nearly seven million Chinese people made the trip to Thailand in 2024 — the highest number of foreign visitors to the country, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
However, recent high-profile kidnappings on the Thailand-Myanmar border have caused safety concerns among Chinese tourists, despite reassurance from Thai authorities.
Thus, the Thai aviation industry is expecting arrivals from China between 24 Jan and 2 Feb to be down compared with the same period in 2024, despite a larger overall number of travellers to the country.
Even those who made it to Thailand are wary, with a 29-year-old Chinese tourist named only as Gao telling AFP that he came to Bangkok “secretly” without telling his family.
The situation was worsened by the abduction of Wang, who was deceived into travelling to Thailand under the pretence of an audition.
After being rescued, he told police that there were about 50 other people in one of the buildings he was detained in.
The kidnappings are also reportedly often carried out by Chinese speakers, causing Chinese tourists to be wary.
Ms Tapney Kiatpaiboon, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), noted the actor’s disappearance had a negative impact on Chinese sentiments over social media, emphasising that mismanagement of the situation could lead to long-term setbacks for the Thai tourist industry.
Source: MGR Online
She was quoted by Thairath as saying:
TAT has estimated that the disappearance may lead to the loss of around 10,000 Chinese tourists, with many of them being part of group tours from secondary cities in China travelling to Thailand for the first time… The lack of a true picture of Thailand has led some to cancel their trips in concern.
The Thai authorities were being urged to act swiftly to address the negative publicity and reassure Chinese tourists about their safety in Thailand to prevent long-term damage to the tourism industry.
China has become an important market for Thailand’s tourist industry, battered by travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2024, tourism brought in over US$50 billion (S$67.5 million), which is about 10% of Thailand’s gross domestic product.
A large part of that income came from Chinese tourists visiting during CNY, drawn by its shopping and cultural activities.
Source: Xinhua Thai, for illustrative purposes only.
In a research note on Friday (24 Jan), Kasikorn Bank noted that the number of Chinese visitors could drop by up to 17.5% during this year’s holiday season compared with 2024’s.
Worried about this, the Thai government took the unusual step of releasing an AI-generated video featuring Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaking in Mandarin, a language she doesn’t speak, to reassure Chinese tourists that her government puts their safety as its utmost priority.
Source: ไทยคู่ฟ้า on Facebook
She also mentioned that the Thai government was boosting safety measures and combatting transnational crime.
The situation isn’t caused by Thai people, but has sparked concern among Chinese tourists, she added on social media platform X.
Additionally, a junior Chinese security minister visited Thailand to urge the government to do more to fight the gangs running the scam operations.
Ms Paetongtarn said she would discuss the issue with Beijing next week to help ease concerns.
But people working in Thailand’s tourism industry are already feeling the impact of the cancellations, AFP reported.
Mr Buri Chin, a tour guide at Bangkok’s Grand Palace who is fluent in Mandarin and has spent years guiding Chinese visitors around the city’s historic landmarks, said the atmosphere had changed recently.
He has noticed fewer Chinese tourists, he told AFP, adding:
When I ask if they need a Chinese-speaking guide, many seem scared. They don’t even want to talk to strangers.
Many Chinese-speaking guides he knew were returning to their hometowns instead of working during the holidays, he remarked.
Source: Spacebar. Photo for illustration purposes only.
The negative publicity has even caused Hong Kong singer Eason Chan to cancel his concert in Bangkok, which was supposed to be held on 22 Feb.
Organisers said the decision was made “in light of recent safety issues concerning Chinese citizens and fans travelling to Thailand”.
However, not all Chinese tourists are concerned. A 65-year-old man from Shanghai, who gave his name only as Li, dismissed them.
“Tourism is their lifeline. If Thailand was truly dangerous, its reputation would collapse,” he told AFP, saying:
We walk around in the evening and it’s very safe.
Also read: More Chinese nationals reported missing in Thailand after actor Wang Xing is rescued
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Featured image adapted from ThaimaaOpas on Unsplash.
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