Travel Thailand's Chinese Tourism Faces Crisis as Arrivals Plummet

[factual monk]

38 minutes ago, Expat Tom said:

What GREAT NEWS! The three worse things about Thailand are Chinese, Indians, and Russians. 

Any country with a huge tourism sector who builds its tourism base on the three pillars of China, Russia

and India needs to rethink its business model. Do you know what Chinese, Indians and Russians flock to 

Thailand? The answers is so obvious that its laughable.  OTHER COUNTRIES DON'T WANT THEM!

 

I have been in Thailand and love the people and the country....the Thai government not so much.

 

I keep my exit plan up to date and when the SHTF , I will be very sad to leave. As a retired mariner, I don't believe in going down with the ship.  

I also like Thailand... especially when she says to me... ohhh you strong man, ohh you handsome... ohhh you got big...

Ohh you look young... 👍 

 

[Scouse123]

4 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Gottfrid you are describing Haiti !

 

Sounds like an adventure, can I package a deal up to include Venezuela and Afghanistan?

[kuzmabruk]

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

Boo hoo. 

What do they expect.  They treat people like trash and on top of that they do not clean or maintain the infrastructure and environment.   TIT now stands for Thailand is Trash. 

[Mad Mustang]

Not to worry. The Chinese tourists don't spend much to boost the Thai economy anyway. The certain demographic of super polite and hygienic, big spending high quality tourists that now flood the wonderful family holiday location Pattaya will surely compensate for the losses. Thailand is in a spot of bother on many fronts regarding tourism. People have woken up to the con and are going to other places. The allures of 10 years ago are fading, prices are way up and the smiles only come for those with money. Many long term ex pats are leaving for greener Asian pastures.

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, JoePai said:

Yea ok but apart from that is ok ?

Yeah, it´s fantastic! 

[Maxbkkcm]

14 minutes ago, Mad Mustang said:

Not to worry. The Chinese tourists don't spend much to boost the Thai economy anyway. The certain demographic of super polite and hygienic, big spending high quality tourists that now flood the wonderful family holiday location Pattaya will surely compensate for the losses. Thailand is in a spot of bother on many fronts regarding tourism. People have woken up to the con and are going to other places. The allures of 10 years ago are fading, prices are way up and the smiles only come for those with money. Many long term ex pats are leaving for greener Asian pastures.

But how do you explain tbat there is more foreigners than ever before? 

[RT555]

Indians or Chinese....take your pick?

[norsurin]

Who wants to go to a unsafe wery expensive county for a holiday that might ends up in a nightmare?

[zig]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

There is a hotel on the road from Chalong to Central it's only about 4 or 5 years old, they catered for the Chinese tour companies always a few buses parked up there, Closed Down for a while now,

 

I often drive along the beach road in Rawai early morning about half way a long there is a boat company and usually hoardes of Chinese waiting there to go on boat trips, hardly see anyone now, I saw a couple in Starbucks yesterday, all these buffet restaurants that only catered for Chinese will be closed down, Im sure, 

It is noticeable when out shopping and in Central the lack of Chinese, 

It might have to do with the government led campaign AGAINST zero-dollar tours and low cost Chinese tour companies in Thailand. This has been going on for years and the claim has been that such companies have unfair advantage against Thai-owned tour companies and do not contribute much to Thai economy anyway. I recall that some years ago a number of such Chinese companies were forcibly shut down and their assets sold without even a court decision reached yet. 

So, I guess this might be another reason for much less Chinese tourists nowadays. You reap what you sow.

[thongplay]

Former TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn stresses the urgency of restoring Thailand’s image through reputation management, improved safety communication, and enhanced digital engagement with Chinese audiences.

 

Just talking, talk, talk. Not a mention of actually doing anything!

 

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

They come/came in droves and the very same way they will leave one day. With the Chinese, South Asians and the Middle Easterners in you scared away the (financially) better quality tourism. The Russians are here as long as Zelensky goofs around; wait for that settlement and the Russians disappear into thin air. The Chinese are a more sensitive group of business with herd character. 

As long as Thailand considers itself semi-divine, above the rest of the entire world, as long as Thailand First and everything else Second ......... but explain that to the Grannies and Uncles who are busy selling their votes for the upcoming municipality elections on 11 May all over the land 😉 

'Zelensky goofs around'? I would suggest that he is trying to protect his country from an invader that is getting support from Trump, who never served in the military for his country (bone spurs?) and his traitorous administration. Who would give up their country to an invader? Treacherous Trump is aligning himself with Putin, who is playing him like a puppet. Not long before he gets his comeuppance, methinks. The sooner the better.

[petedk]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

I see the usual compassion for the millions of Thai people who depend on tourists the posters don't like for their living.

 

April 16 is the day I flew in from China with a planeload of tourists that looked pretty well off and looking for a place to spend their sweaty tourist cash

 

 

I don't see any decline in the number of Chinese around Ekamai/Thong Lor. The airBnbs near here always semm to be occupied

[black tabby12345]

17 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

What do they expect? People are scared coming here. They kidnap people and put them in call center camps. They are wasting people like flies on the roads. Gun smoke in the streets and scammers paradise! That´s like what they call a pristine and family friendly tourist destination.

 

SNS, 21st century Myth Making tool.

 

[Stargeezr]

It is April now people, the hottest month in Thailand and school is in session in most countries.

   Of course China is not coming to Thailand.  What crisis is TAT talking about?   WOKE, or wake up TAT.

My opinion of course

[Gottfrid]

16 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

SNS, 21st century Myth Making tool.

 

It was what, did you say?

[kingstonkid]

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Quick, panic. Run around and wail with nonsensical grief.

Sure, Chinese   headcount is down, but the total of all tourists increased in Q 1 and more importantly, revenue was up. The Nation reported on this when the Jan1-March 31 numbers were released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports;

-  9,549,004 foreign tourists, which was 1.91% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

-  Tourism revenue increased by 10.47% year compared to the same annual period.

 

Although tourist head count from China (and South Korea) has declined, it is up for  the Middle East, Japan and Europe. 

The takeaway is that higher revenue generating tourists have  replaced the Chinese who  are not coming.

And the fact remains that the Chinese are still the  largest  foreign national  visitors group visiting Thailand.

 

 

 

The challenge that this country has is the same for any country or area that depends on tourism as it's main focus.

 

If there is any downturn in economies it is going to affect them/  China has and is facing it's biggest bust period in a long time. 

That means that Chinese people are not gong to have the money to go on trips unless it is the ones set up with groups.

 

Group tours may help some small hotels, but they are not going to boost the economy.

 

The government must take a serious look at where things are made and what businesses there are.

 

Imagine if Red Bull actually was made here in a factory.  Imagine if Wacoal and other companies stopped producing outside the country.

 

Thailand is in a sense, in the same boat as the U.S. in that most stuff is produced outside and shipped in.  Does anyone remember the Chinese elephant pants stink 

 

In a sense all countries need to take a page out of the MAGA book and look at how they can make their countries great again.

 

 

 

[black tabby12345]

2 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

It was what, did you say?

 

Hi, I really feel this world became smaller(in terms of the speed of info spreads).

Because any events in one corner of the world, can be highlighted and made known to the rest of the world at the speed of light.

This way, people feel any "risks and danger" a lot closer to them, than old time(during which print and electronic media dominated the distribution of the News).

And it also triggers the "overreaction" among the mass of people at  the same time.

That's why I called SNS another Myth Making tool.

 

[paul1804]

Thailand tourism despite its constant rants about Chinese tourists has always wished for quality tourists rather than quantity tourists and its very true which is the preferred tourist by the hospitality operators. So now 1 of these budget traveller countries is not coming they are squealing like stuck pigs!!! I say great, spend your time and effort attracting larger spending travellers !!

BTW its April and bloody hot so maybe thats a contributing factor that these morons have overlooked!! Vietnam has the same issue! 

[Yagoda]

China is going broke.

[paul1804]

6 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

China is going broke.

Exactly, just another reason why numbers are down!!!

[jippytum]

The Chineese scammers and zero dollar buisness operators will be the ones to lament the drop in Chineese visitors more than the locals. 

[Sierra Tango]

1 hour ago, Stargeezr said:

It is April now people, the hottest month in Thailand and school is in session in most countries.

   Of course China is not coming to Thailand.  What crisis is TAT talking about?   WOKE, or wake up TAT.

My opinion of course

My thoughts too Stargeezr. If any of them were here during April last year they would for sure not be planning on coming back at this time of year.

 

[lapamita]

5 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

If that helps tamp down the Baht, it’s a good thing.

if that is the solution in a globalized world. First its free traded currency , you can manage only by fiscal and monetraypolicys. Intrestrate already at low.

A weak currency  in a globalist system brings much more disatvantages as positives

I would agree if we not live in a globalist system

[Guderian]

Dang, and I'd just invested in a new tee shirt.... lol

 

[greeneking]

2 hours ago, norsurin said:

Who wants to go to a unsafe wery expensive county for a holiday that might ends up in a nightmare?

Are we still talking about Thailand? So negative.

[lapamita]

2 hours ago, norsurin said:

Who wants to go to a unsafe wery expensive county for a holiday that might ends up in a nightmare?

one thing whats good about Thailand , is the safety record, Its an absolut safe country if you compare to other countrys in the same stage as thailand ,or you want tell others like PH ,CAMB,INDO,BRAZ,KOL  are safer ????

[kimothai]

Thailand always seems to have a penchant to put all its eggs in one basket.  They only focus on the group they consider will make them the fastest/most money.  Much like investing in high-risk stocks that pay the highest dividends but when things go south you have nobody to blame but yourself.  

[bkk6060]

I miss them so much.

[proton]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

I see the usual compassion for the millions of Thai people who depend on tourists the posters don't like for their living.

 

April 16 is the day I flew in from China with a planeload of tourists that looked pretty well off and looking for a place to spend their sweaty tourist cash

 

 

Nobody wants then, needs them or likes them. Thais survived before they started arriving, and will if they stop. Chinese are the worlds worst tourists, even the Japanese cannot stand them

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, Mad Mustang said:

Not to worry. The Chinese tourists don't spend much to boost the Thai economy anyway. The certain demographic of super polite and hygienic, big spending high quality tourists that now flood the wonderful family holiday location Pattaya will surely compensate for the losses. Thailand is in a spot of bother on many fronts regarding tourism. People have woken up to the con and are going to other places. The allures of 10 years ago are fading, prices are way up and the smiles only come for those with money. Many long term ex pats are leaving for greener Asian pastures.

 

 

Spot on.

 

The sparkle went off Pattaya a long time ago.

 

You can call it nostalgia, but the Pattaya of today is a dump of poor-quality tourists compared to the Pattaya of the 1990s.