January 22, 2025
BANGKOK – Thailand’s tourism sector has suffered a significant setback as thousands of Chinese tourists cancel their travel plans amid growing safety concerns.
The cancellations, affecting both chartered flights and hotel bookings, come in the wake of recent incidents involving Chinese nationals in the region.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool reports that around 10,000 Chinese tourists have cancelled their visits, primarily affecting chartered flights from second-tier Chinese cities. The situation has been exacerbated by negative social-media coverage in China, particularly regarding cases of human trafficking and fraudulent activities.
Thapanee remains optimistic about achieving the annual target of 8 million Chinese visitors, despite the current challenges. This figure represents an increase from the previous year’s 6.73 million visitors, though concerns persist about reaching the Tourism Ministry’s ambitious goal of 8.8 million to 9 million visitors.
In the aviation sector, Thai Lion Air chief executive officer Atsawin Yangkiratiwon confirmed that 40 chartered flights scheduled during the Chinese New Year period were cancelled, resulting in a 20% decrease in Chinese passengers. The cancellations primarily affected routes from secondary Chinese cities such as Ningbo, Hefei and Jinan.
Thai Lion Air head of commercial Nuntaporn Komonsittivate added that the airline isn’t focusing primarily on the Chinese market, noting that Thai tourists travelling to China currently outnumber Chinese visitors to Thailand. Before the pandemic, Thai Lion Air operated routes to more than 30 Chinese cities, including chartered flights.
Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) vice-chairman Ratchaporn Poonsawat said the hospitality sector has been significantly impacted.
Initial reports show 4,600 room cancellations from Chinese tourists and an additional 8,000 room cancellations from other Asian markets.
Thai Hotels Association (THA) president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun provided more detailed figures, reporting more than 12,400 room cancellations nationwide so far this month. These include 4,572 rooms by Chinese tourists and 7,856 rooms by other international visitors.
Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Chiang Rai are among the most affected destinations for Chinese cancellations, while Chonburi, Bangkok and Krabi saw the most cancellations by other international tourists.
The downturn has been largely attributed to a recent incident involving a Chinese actor known as “Xingxing” (real name Wang Xing), who was reportedly lured to Myanmar through Thailand. This case, combined with concerns about call-centre scams and grey capital operations, has damaged Thailand’s reputation as a safe tourist destination.
In response, Thai authorities are implementing several measures to restore confidence. According to Thapanee, these include:
- Establishing a joint public-private-sector “war room” with the Tourism Council of Thailand to monitor and address negative online content
- Enhancing security measures through collaboration with Tourist Police and the Royal Thai Police
- Proposing amendments to the visa-free policy, potentially reducing the stay period from 30 to 7-10 days to align with typical Chinese tourist behaviour
Ratchaporn emphasised that Chinese tourists tend to trust information from their own sources rather than Thai authorities.
Thienprasit stressed the importance of preventive measures, urging the government to strengthen border security and implement more robust screening processes for incoming visitors. He noted that while independent travellers remain relatively unaffected, the group-tour segment has experienced notable cancellations, highlighting the Chinese market’s particular sensitivity to safety concerns.