Tourism Decline of Chinese Tourists in Pattaya Raises Concerns

[mikeymike100]

2 hours ago, Mywayboy said:

Chinese cook their own rice in the hotel room electric Jug.

Not just in in the hotel room, I have seen them do it in Singapore Airport!

[peter zwart]

And in the end, we come full circle, back to the retired Westerner and the Western tourist. It's been a proven concept for decades. These are the people who don't have palm trees in their home countries, suffer from a lack of sunshine, a severe shortage of attractive women, and who have a fairly reliable source of income (a pension). Add to that the general dissatisfaction of the average Westerner with their own country, and the circle is complete.

[Kat Hao]

I think the Thai economy will miss HiSo Chinese tourist, and not so much the tour groups.  Tour groups typically spend much less, while a well educated an affluent traveler is always welcome, whether Chinese or European.  

[KhaoHom]

38 minutes ago, pete43 said:

Anyone who is not an alcoholic thug should avoid Pattaya like the Plague

It was always sketchy. Nevertheless, I fear that that day has come.

 

1 Alcoholic

2 Thug

3 Alcoholic thug

4 Indians and Pakis

[KhaoHom]

33 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Not just in in the hotel room, I have seen them do it in Singapore Airport!

 

My wife does that too, but she never does it in a country in which you can get rice easily and conveniently 555

 

Her favorite go to snack meal is prosciutto and rice.

 

They're just being cheap

[Andycoops]

Good to see the back of the zero bahters, chinese tourists are disgusting, disrespectful, rude, spit everywhere and have no manners whatsoever.

Scum.

 

The Nips are welcome to them.

[Reddavy]

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Photo courtesy of South China Morning Post

 

Pattaya, once a favourite destination for Chinese tourists, is experiencing a significant drop in visitors from China, with Japan now emerging as their preferred choice. This shift poses a challenge to Thailand’s tourism industry, which heavily relies on Chinese travellers.

 

Yuttasak Supasorn, former Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has outlined six key reasons behind this trend:

 

1. Economic Slowdown in China: A sluggish economy and tighter travel restrictions for civil servants have led many Chinese tourists to opt for domestic holidays over international trips.
2. Japan's Affordability: The depreciation of the yen against the yuan by 25% since 2022 makes Japan a more affordable option for budget-conscious travellers, while rising costs in Thailand reduce its appeal.
3. Safety Concerns: Japan's reputation for safety contrasts with Thailand's issues related to crime, scams, and infrastructure challenges. Recent high-profile incidents have further damaged Thailand’s image, affecting its safety ranking globally.
4. Flight Connectivity: Direct flights from China to Japan have returned to pre-pandemic levels, vastly outnumbering those to Thailand. The limited flight options to Thailand, often with longer layovers, provide less convenience.
5. Shopping Opportunities: Japan attracts Chinese tourists with tax-free shopping on luxury items and electronics. Thailand mainly offers attractions focused on beaches and food, with fewer luxury shopping options.
6. Niche Tourism Experiences: Japan caters to the demand for unique and personalised travel experiences, appealing to wealthier Chinese tourists. In contrast, Thailand is often viewed as a less sophisticated destination.

 

Yuttasak emphasises that these are significant market shifts requiring immediate action. For Pattaya and the broader Thai tourism sector, the message is urgent: a strategic overhaul is needed to retain and attract high-value tourists. Without changes, Thailand risks losing its competitive edge in the tourism market.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-19

 

 

Concern’s???? It’s the best news to come out of Thailand for years. We don’t need the locusts here. 

[Cat Boy]

23 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

Thank God they are gone, one less headache.

 

Not that I ever visit that stinkhole but still..

 

Mark.

Any other petty personal grievances you'd like throw shade on publicly? 

 

Jews? Female drivers? TSA? Newark, New Jersey? 

 

Can't wait to hear 🫣

[Cornish Pasty]

Just now, Cat Boy said:

Any other petty personal grievances you'd like throw shade on publicly? 

 

Jews? Female drivers? TSA? Newark, New Jersey? 

 

Can't wait to hear 🫣

I mean, we could start with Thais…

 

Mark.

[Cat Boy]

6 minutes ago, Cornish Pasty said:

I mean, we could start with Thais…

 

Mark.

I expect that goes without saying 

[Espanol]

 

Concerns?
We're just happy.

I wish the Indians would disappear too and Thailand would be a nice place again, especially Pattaya.

 

 

[Bday Prang]

9 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Whose is concerned?  Most locals and expats and other  tourists are happy with the decline.

An ex TAT employee apparently

[TimBKK]

20 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Vietnam has visas still for Indian visitors which ensures only quality indian visitors. 

 

The proliferation of open soliciation by indian visitors has destroyed Pattaya. 

This is a significant advantage for Vietnam, IMO and especially for those weighing TH vs. VN for long term stays.  Nice little bit of insight there.

[TimBKK]

1 hour ago, Andycoops said:

The Nips are welcome to them.

1950’s checking in

[Cat Boy]

1 hour ago, Espanol said:

 

Concerns?
We're just happy.

I wish the Indians would disappear too and Thailand would be a nice place again, especially Pattaya.

 

 

Any other races or nationalities you'd like to eliminate? 

 

Genders? Religions? 

 

Does "Indians" only refer to people from India? Or does it extend to the entire Sub-Continent (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Bangladesh). 

 

Arabs? Non-grata? 

 

Or just Muslims? 😐 

 

Or is your disdain more generalized, (and less rational) , ie hating everyone equally? 

 

Just curious 

[KhunHeineken]

20 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

The influx of Indians will pick up the slack

Thailand will start marketing to the African market soon.  What could possibly go wrong? 

[sambum]

"Yuttasak Supasorn, former Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has outlined six key reasons excuses behind this trend:"

[Ctkong]

3 hours ago, pete43 said:

Anyone who is not an alcoholic thug should avoid Pattaya like the Plague

I visited pattaya once a month or so on the way to rayong klaeng or chantaburi for the quiet beaches. Had done so for 2 decades. Pattaya is good for a transit stay for the good restaurants there especially Patrick’s grill restaurant.  Pattaya has good western restaurants too. You do not have to visit the nightlife area if you are not inclined. 

 

[sambum]

2 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

Concerns?
We're just happy.

I wish the Indians would disappear too and Thailand would be a nice place again, especially Pattaya.

 

 

 

Nice place? Pattaya? Again?

 

Ah, the "FAMILY FRIENDLY RESORT"! 

[watchcat]

13 hours ago, pete43 said:

Anyone who is not an alcoholic thug should avoid Pattaya like the Plague

 

Yes youl'll live llonger and less risk of catching std.

[10baht]

23 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

It's a quandry. You let Indians in on mass, no checks or balances, no checking they're not sleeping 10 people to a room, etc - you then turn away quality tourists and Chinese

QTC is an oxymoron

[10baht]

17 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Having said that, Japan is an absolute steal now in terms of value for money. Years of low inflation compared to the rest of the world means that it is comparatively cheap.

You maybe thinking about yen v dollar, not the yuan. Go back one year on this chart 1 yuan = 21.99 yen, today 1 yuan = 20.32 yen. 

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=yuan+v++yen+

 

[wensiensheng]

1 hour ago, 10baht said:

You maybe thinking about yen v dollar, not the yuan. Go back one year on this chart 1 yuan = 21.99 yen, today 1 yuan = 20.32 yen. 

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=yuan+v++yen+

 

Actually not thinking about fx rates at all. The yen is very strong right now which argues against my point.

 

No, the point I am making is take the cost of a Japanese hotel 20 years ago and increase it by 1% a year for inflation. Then take the cost of a European hotel, or US, or other country, and increase it by, say, 7/8% a year for inflation. 
 

The expensive Japanese hotel from 20 years ago suddenly becomes a much better buy comparatively speaking.

 

FX rates have ebbed and waned over the years.

 

And vis a vis Chinese visitors, my principal point was that Japan and Thailand are really two different kinds of holidays. You might choose one for one reason or the other for a different reason, but they aren’t really, imho, a replacement for each other because they are such a different experience

[gravia]

unlucky Japan