Thailand’s Bid to Reignite Chinese Tourism Faces Concern Amid Shooting Incident

Last updated on November 20th, 2023 at 02:23 pm

In a surprising move, Thailand’s tourism chief floated the idea of joint patrols with Chinese police to boost security at key tourist spots, showcasing a strong commitment to rebuilding traveler trust. However, the proposal faced swift denial from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the national police chief, citing concerns about compromising Thailand’s sovereignty.

This unexpected proposal hinted at Thailand’s eagerness to attract more visitors from China, a crucial source of international tourists. The Srettha administration is acutely aware of the need to restore tourist confidence, especially after recent events that have cast doubts on Thailand’s reputation as a safe haven.

Shooting Incident at Bangkok: Details

The fatal shooting incident at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon mall, where a Chinese national was among the casualties, has left a lasting impact on Thailand’s image. The woman had entered Thailand through its tourist visa exemption scheme, launched for Chinese passport holders in September.

Following the shooting, Thailand experienced a consecutive four-week decline in arrivals from China, reflecting an immediate blow to Chinese sentiment. A Weibo poll, one of China’s major social media platforms, highlighted that more than half of the respondents considered Thailand “too unsafe” for travel. This sentiment poses a considerable challenge for Thailand in achieving its ambitious tourism target for the year.

Keep Reading

Thailand aims to attract 28 million foreign tourists by the end of the year, with a substantial share—4.4 million—expected to come from China. However, as of November 12, only 2.9 million Chinese tourists have visited, leaving a significant gap to bridge to meet the target.

The slow economic recovery in China, coupled with limited flights to Thailand due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, adds another layer of complexity. Despite these challenges, the Thai government has proactively implemented measures to lure tourists, such as the visa-free incentive for Chinese passport holders launched in September. However, the current data from the tourism ministry indicates that Chinese arrivals have fallen short of the projected 2.9 million within five months.

Perceived safety concerns emerge as a critical factor jeopardizing the recovery of the Chinese tourism market. While a seamless travel experience is crucial, recent incidents’ fallout, combined with economic challenges in China, presents a multifaceted challenge for Thailand to regain its status as a favored destination for Chinese tourists.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand envisions a total income of 2.17 trillion baht (US$61 billion) from 28 million foreign visitors by December, with the visa-free incentive playing a pivotal role. However, the gap between the current tourist numbers and the ambitious target underscores the uphill battle Thailand faces in revitalizing the once-thriving Chinese tourism market.

Desk Writer

Spends most of the time reading news all around the world. Strong knowledge and understanding of the current situation and happenings in the ASEAN region.

Recent Posts

V Surprises ARMY with Two Holiday Releases: A Festive Collab with Park Hyo-shin and “White Christmas” Cover

For K-pop fans, the Christmas season this year has become even more magical as several of their preferred stars reveal…

November 22, 2024

Celine Names TWS as Global Ambassadors Following Suzy Bae Announcement

After Suzy Bae's nomination as Celine's worldwide ambassador, the venerable French luxury fashion company has taken another bold step choosing…

November 22, 2024

Reddit Faces Widespread Outage, Users Turn to Workarounds Amid ‘Server Error’ Messages

Thousands of users of the well-known social network Reddit were left without access after a major outage of the website.…

November 22, 2024

Anne Hathaway Casted as ‘Verity’ in Colleen Hoover’s Book Adaptation

Anne Hathaway is slated to play the much expected film version of Colleen Hoover's best-selling book Verity in front of…

November 21, 2024

Gucci Set to Revolutionize Fashion Presentations with Unified Shows in 2025 under Sabato De Sarno’s Vision

Gucci is ready to change its presentation approach for 2025 in a radical action aimed to revolutionize the fashion industry.…

November 21, 2024

South Korea’s “Korea Discount”: Addressing the Governance Gap to Boost Market Value

As world investors wait for significant changes that might solve long-standing problems of governance and responsibility in South Korea's companies,…

November 21, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More