Some Chinese travellers are opting to stay away from Thailand for the eight-day Chinese New Year holiday. - Photo: EPA-EFE
BANGKOK: The recent high-profile kidnapping of a Chinese actor in Thailand has dented the country’s appeal among tourists just weeks before China’s biggest annual holiday.
Some Chinese travellers are opting to stay away from Thailand for the eight-day Lunar New Year holiday, which starts on Jan 28, due to safety concerns.
Cancellations of flights from China to Thailand jumped 155% over the weekend compared to the same period last year, according to data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys.
The cancellations were triggered by the disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing in a Thai town bordering Myanmar early this month.
He was later rescued by Thai police from a scam center where he had been lured by human traffickers.
News of his plight spread on social media, with some saying they’re now cancelling plans to visit the country.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan canceled a sold-out Bangkok concert originally slated to be held on Feb 22, citing safety concerns for Chinese fans travelling to Thailand.
Comedian Zhao Benshan also postponed a performance in Bangkok on the same day.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, head of the local tourism association in Chonburi province, south of the capital Bangkok, said 30% to 40% of Chinese tour groups have canceled hotel bookings in the east of the region. The province is home to Pattaya city, known for its vibrant nightlife.
However, tour groups only represent 20% of total Chinese arrivals in the province, with independent travellers making up the rest, Thanet said.
While the repercussions may prove short-lived, the episode has dealt another blow to Chinese tourism in Thailand, which remains well below the 11 million travellers annually the country saw in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the drop, China remains the biggest source of tourists for Thailand, with arrivals accounting for 6.7 million out of 35.5 million travellers in 2024.
Beijing and Bangkok signed a permanent visa-waiver agreement last year to encourage more travel between the two countries.
Thai businesses have been hit by a slower-than-expected return of Chinese visitors who have been more cautious on spending on everything from international travel to luxury shopping amid China’s economic slowdown.
Travellers have increasingly opted for cheaper domestic destinations over overseas alternatives.
Safety has also been a rising concern for many Chinese visitors to Southeast Asian countries including Thailand over the past few years with constant media reports of scam operators in the region.
The kidnapping of the actor also unnerved investors. An index of tourism and leisure stocks in Bangkok has fallen 9% since the beginning of the year, compared to a 3.4% decline in the benchmark index.
Damage Control
The Tourism Authority of Thailand voiced its determination to improve safety and welcomed Chinese tourists for the upcoming lunar holiday.
"We are committed to providing convenience and protection for all visitors to Thailand,” the authority said in a statement on China’s X-like platform Weibo on Saturday.
Thai officials have sprung into action to contain any negative fallout from the actor’s trafficking episode.
Government agencies have stepped up measures to ensure the safety of foreign tourists, Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, told reporters on Monday.
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai travelled to the Thai-Myanmar border towns over the weekend to coordinate efforts to prevent human trafficking across the border.
The area where Wang was abducted is notorious for being a lawless hub of criminal activity, specialising in drug trafficking, illegal casinos and scam centers.
The previously little-known actor’s rescue sparked calls for help with other cases of missing persons.
The family of a Chinese model made an appeal for help on social media after he went missing in Thailand last month. Chinese and Thai police are now investigating the case, according to a report from Chinese state media CCTV.
Hong Kong said it is sending a task force to Thailand to follow up on cases of its residents who are thought to have been lured to Southeast Asia and forced by criminal gangs to engage in illegal activities. - Bloomberg
