Thai Tourism Grapples with Declining Chinese Visitors

[tonypattaya]

The continuing jet ski scam does not help.

[Kinok Farang]

3 hours ago, jwl53 said:

Where is the Thai-China border????

He's still in bed.He's on nights.

[Guderian]

Never say that the news is all doom and gloom! lol

[Packer]

Some of them stay in my condo building. I thought one of them dropped a turd in the elevator but it was only the security man's lunch. 

[Packer]

Time to increase the prices? 

[erectem]

16 hours ago, connda said:

Couldn't get through this without the China-hating contingent of AseanNow showing up to spew vitriol at the CPC and average Chinese in general.  Where do you people come from?  Why live in a country that borders China?  <headshake>

Better yet, where do you come from, headshake? 

[trainman34014]

While Thailand contunues to mark time other neighbouring Countries keep improving things for Visitors, especially safety and security.  The thinking here (what thinking there is) only ever revolves around collecting money for the already over rich few and never spending any to improve the 'Experience' of Tourists.    In other words it's just same old, same old.

 

Chiang Mai is supposedly Thailand's Second City but drive around The Moat and sample the disgusting Road Surfaces, lack of decent Pavements for People to walk on safely, drivers intent on NOT STOPPING at Pedestrian Crossings etc and Local Police Force not in the least interested in Safety Matters for Tourists.

 

Will things ever improve ?   Not while the Country continues to be run by the old Archaic Dinosaurs running it now !

[erectem]

15 minutes ago, tonypattaya said:

The continuing jet ski scam does not help.

It helps a lot!

[Chosenfew]

It’s not about Thailand, China’s economy is in shambles.

[John Drake]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Wow, chill dude, you’re irate. Get out of bed the wrong side? Drunk? Many here are just normal people that have had bad experiences with hordes of visiting Chinese and you’re not convincing anyone otherwise. I’m sure there are nice people in China and also visiting, but they generally don’t do themselves any favours when they come over in those big bolshy groups and start upsetting the locals. Any one people (including my own) piling into another country en-masse ain’t great and if the number from China is significantly reduced, it can only be a good thing. 
BTW, in case you hadn’t noticed, this is Thailand not Burma. 😋

 

I've not dealt with Chinese mass tourism. But I have dealt with Chinese individuals and Chinese graduate students (aged 25 to 49) in Thailand. And I like them. They are a disciplined high IQ people. And they do not exhibit the entitlement my American and European students constantly displayed when I worked in the US and Germany. OTOH I do despise Xi and China's government. But before we blame them too much, we ought to look at the people who gave them the key to the cookie jar, the Clintons and the Bushes in the US. I imagine there is an equal set of European profiteers who sold out their countries to the Chinese, too. 

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

Much of China's infrastructure looks good on the outside, but not built to last.

 

This is an excellent point! Chinese infrastructure and building expansion is all relatively brand new. Things look like shiny and attractive when their new. The difficulty, as everyone in Asia knows, is maintenance. The Japanese are excellent at it. I think the Koreans do well, too. But how will China do over the next twenty years as repair and replace becomes more heavily required than putting up new railways, apartments, office buildings and airports?

[Artisi]

19 hours ago, JoePai said:

Don't worry, tomorrow TAT will tell us all the number from China is increasing by a million %

As usual. 

[Reddavy]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Kasikorn Research Centre

 

In the rapidly evolving world of tourism, Thailand once basked in the glory of hosting over 10 million Chinese visitors annually. Yet, troubling trends have disrupted this golden age, casting a shadow over future prospects. At the heart of the decline are pressing concerns over safety and perceived inefficiencies in law enforcement, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta).

 

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, the president of Atta, poignantly remarks on the missed growth opportunities over the past four years. While nations like China, Japan, and Vietnam have vigorously updated and expanded their tourist offerings, Thailand has remained anchored to its existing, albeit charming, resources without refreshing its appeal or infrastructure.

 

The stagnation is compounded by a prevailing sense of insecurity among potential Chinese visitors. "We're sticking to the old resources and not maintaining or improving them," Mr Sisdivachr says.

 

Present challenges are only exacerbated by the abundant negative sentiment pervading Chinese social media, where cyber scam woes discourage many potential tourists from exploring Thai shores.

 

Optimism surrounding the return to pre-2019 visitor numbers, which once soared to 10 million Chinese tourists, fades unless Thailand can rapidly assure these travellers of their safety. Sisdivachr remains sceptical of meeting even the more modest target of 8 million Chinese arrivals this year, expecting closer to 7 million, mirroring figures slightly above the 2024 forecast.

 

The lack of substantial growth in Chinese tourism is likely to impact Thailand's overall foreign arrival targets. Government forecasts aiming for 39 million arrivals seem increasingly ambitious with these challenges at the forefront.

 

 

Ambitiously, the government has floated the concept of new entertainment complexes, including casinos, as a tourist draw. Yet, Sisdivachr voices his caution, highlighting potential pitfalls such as gambling-related issues among visitors and risks of money laundering without regulatory vigilance.

 

Instead, he suggests careful implementation with perhaps only a few strategic locations, namely in Bangkok and other key tourist hotspots, where infrastructure is ripe for such developments.

 

As Thailand looks forward to its next general election in 2027, he advocates for tourism to be front and centre in economic discussions, lamenting its absence in previous campaigns.

 

Thailand stands at a crossroads, where the intricate balance of refreshing its offerings and ensuring security can shape the future of its tourism industry.

 

As the country navigates these challenges, the past four years serve as a potent reminder of the importance of innovation and vigilance in maintaining its status as a premier travel destination, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-14

 

 

At last some positive news. 👍

[connda]

16 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

Thailand has no borders with China.

 

 

9 hours ago, SillySam said:

 

We don't hate the Chinese.  We just hate the way they behave.  If they stopped shouting, and pushing, and cutting in line, and spitting, we would stop complaining.

 

Thailand has no border with China btw.

Ya'll are truly a fools.  It's about the same distance as a drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.  Chinese tanks could make it in a half a day.  A Chinese fighter jet in a matter of minutes.  80 miles by air; about 120 by road.

"Ha ha ha.  Thailand don't have no border with China.  You stoopid.  Ha ha ha."

Geography majors with a minor in gender studies no doubt. 

[connda]

9 hours ago, SillySam said:

We don't hate the Chinese.  We just hate the way they behave.  If they stopped shouting, and pushing, and cutting in line, and spitting, we would stop complaining.

You mean like Germans and loud, brash, overly-assertive Americans? 

[connda]

21 minutes ago, John Drake said:

But I have dealt with Chinese individuals and Chinese graduate students (aged 25 to 49) in Thailand. And I like them. They are a disciplined high IQ people. And they do not exhibit the entitlement my American and European students constantly displayed when I worked in the US and Germany.

That is my experience as well. 

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, Nid_Noi said:

 

Could it be another reason for the absence of Chinese tourists?

 

There have been several documentaries about factory closures, lack of jobs, people fleeing cities, real-estate developers filing for bankruptcy, empty airports and railway stations as well as mall closures.

Any lately visitors to China witnessed this exodus?

 

Something else may be at work. Xi just might be calling some of his people home. It has been part of China's foreign policy to seed other countries with Chinese immigrants as a sort of beachhead for industrial sabotage and technology theft. In the US, recently, several tenured and entrenched Chinese professors have resigned from their American university jobs to return to China to work. The final face-off over Taiwan may be a year or less away from happening. China is shifting to a war economy and needs its brains at home, while its agents and operative remain embedded. Mass tourism of Chinese tourists all across Asia is a problem in this scenario. Xi probably doesn't want mass panic during an armed conflict causing them to rush back home and overwhelm airports and shipping terminals, which will be needed to focus on military matters.

[cdemundo]

"Thai Tourism Grapples with Declining Chinese Visitors"

 

I don't see how grappling with them is going to help.

 

 

[NoMoonLogistics]

1 hour ago, tonypattaya said:

The continuing jet ski scam does not help.

For every cloud there is a silver lining.

[black tabby12345]

2 hours ago, Nid_Noi said:

 

Could it be another reason for the absence of Chinese tourists?

 

There have been several documentaries about factory closures, lack of jobs, people fleeing cities, real-estate developers filing for bankruptcy, empty airports and railway stations as well as mall closures.

Any lately visitors to China witnessed this exodus?

 

Yes, it makes a lot of sense.

As early as 2017, I have heard quite a few Chinese (staying at my apartment)  say that their economy is in Big Problem. Due to  so much of  the wasteful spending in both of their public and private sectors.

 

Private: On speculative housing development defying actual demand.

 

Public: Communist Party's peace time expansionist policy(Belt & Road Initiative).

Putting in billions, for the infrastructure building in the poor 3rd world nations(their debt often defaults; unable to pay back).

 

China takes over the newly built facilities when they cannot pay back.

But at the same time, they lose the money they spent there.

[Hawaiian]

6 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

Yes, it makes a lot of sense.

As early as 2017, I have heard quite a few Chinese (staying at my apartment)  say that their economy is in Big Problem. Due to  so much of  the wasteful spending in both of their public and private sectors.

 

Private: On speculative housing development defying actual demand.

 

Public: Communist Party's peace time expansionist policy(Belt & Road Initiative).

Putting in billions, for the infrastructure building in the poor 3rd world nations(their debt often defaults; unable to pay back).

 

China takes over the newly built facilities when they cannot pay back.

But at the same time, they lose the money they spent there.

Especially when there the demand for these newly built facilities was highly overstated.  In other words, insufficient business to service or justify the debt.

[black tabby12345]

3 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Especially when there the demand for these newly built facilities was highly overstated.  In other words, insufficient business to service or justify the debt.

 

Selling the poor pricy infrastructure that doesn't have real "Use". 

CCP's State Run Fraudulent.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, connda said:

 

 

Ya'll are truly a fools.  It's about the same distance as a drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.  Chinese tanks could make it in a half a day.  A Chinese fighter jet in a matter of minutes.  80 miles by air; about 120 by road.

"Ha ha ha.  Thailand don't have no border with China.  You stoopid.  Ha ha ha."

Geography majors with a minor in gender studies no doubt. 

Gender obsessed much?

[Hawaiian]

20 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

Selling the poor pricy infrastructure that doesn't have real "Use". 

CCP's State Run Fraudulent.

All part of China's debt trap diplomacy.  Now karma is in the air.  Pakistan has been a complete disaster for China.  China is stuck with bill and can't safely use the highway intended to be part of BRI.

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm… good news indeed

[Briggsy]

Quote

 

Pre-emptive strike

[Briggsy]

17 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Fairly sure they did a couple of days ago.

Pre-emptive strike

[newnative]

     Unfortunately, Thailand just moves way to slow on everything, if it even moves at all.  Many things proposed and then disappear.  High-speed train--years and years delayed and now, just announced, another year's delay--and probably wildly optimistic on that.   Casinos--endlessly debated, studied, etc., etc., for years and years and still not even on the planning books, let alone any construction started.   

     Even small but important things are neglected.  Spouse and I have visited several islands and I almost broke a leg getting off the boat on to a crappy, unsafe, rocking plastic dock more than once.  And, better facilities are needed once you get on the islands.  There's lots of easy-to-do things that would make the tourist experience safer and more enjoyable. 

    Pattaya's traffic is very bad and getting worse but nothing is being done at all.  Three underpasses were supposed to be built--only one got done.  Typical.  Lots of huge new construction projects are being built or in the works--how are the already congested, limited traffic lanes going to accommodate them?   Better public transportation serving more areas would help, coupled with more public parking garages to allow eliminating parking on the major roads, to gain instant extra traffic lanes.  Again, lots of proposals and the usual endless talk, talk, talk, study, study, study.  But, do nothing, nothing, nothing.

[LivingNThailand]

6 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

Much of China's infrastructure looks good on the outside, but not built to last.

A bit off topic, but I am waiting for all those Chinese Electric cars to completely stop working, fall apart and sit by the side of the road waiting, (hopefully) to be towed away.   Cheap Chinese Cars do not bode well for being built to last.

[Andrew65]

As I have mentioned before I believe that in years to come Thailand will have to actively reduce the amount of overseas arrivals. It's geographically situated within 4 or 5 hours flying of where 3+ billion people live.

Figures suggest that on the island of Phuket there is a ratio of 118:1 tourists/residents, increasing this will become unsustainable.

Overtourism.