Chinese tourists take pictures in downtown in Bangkok, Thailand, March 31, 2024. Photo by Reuters
Many Chinese tourists are reconsidering their plans to visit Thailand during the upcoming Lunar New Year due to safety concerns following the disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing who was later rescued.
Their number could drop by 10-20%, according to an estimate by the Association of Thai Travel Agents, the Bangkok Post reported Thursday.
The Shanghai office of China’s leading online travel agent Ctrip said Wang’s case has gone viral in China and caused a decrease in bookings to Thailand.
On Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, searches for “How do I cancel my Thailand trip?” had generated over 380,000 posts as of Thursday.
Some tourists have turned to online forums to ask questions such as “How can I convince my travel agency to refund my expenses if I cancel my trip to Thailand?” the South China Morning Post reported.
Wang was reported missing from Mae Sot, a Thai town bordering Myanmar, last week after arriving in Thailand for a film shoot.
After being forcibly taken across a river, he found himself in Myanmar where he was coerced into learning scamming techniques.
He was rescued on Tuesday through a joint operation by Thai and Myanmarese authorities.
Wang has been identified as a victim of human trafficking, Thai police said.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed relief on Jan. 7 over the safe return of Wang.
She said the government is handling the situation carefully to prevent any fallout that could affect the tourism industry.
This incident comes at a critical time for Thailand, which hopes to attract at least eight million Chinese tourists in 2025, up from 6.73 million in 2024.
Tourism is a cornerstone of Thailand’s economy, with the country receiving over 35 million foreign visitors last year, a 26% increase from 2023.
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