22-9-2023 (BANGKOK) For millions of Chinese tourists, Thailand has long been synonymous with joyful water fights, enchanting lantern festivals, and an array of delectable cuisine. However, a shift in perception driven by social media rumors and a blockbuster film has transformed the kingdom’s image among many Chinese nationals into one of perilous illegality and disreputable scam border compounds, resulting in a sharp decline in visitor numbers.
Thailand’s economy heavily relies on tourism, particularly from China. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation welcomed over 10 million Chinese tourists annually—a statistic that Bangkok is fervently eager to witness once again.
Regrettably, the beleaguered Thai holiday industry has been severely impacted by viral social media rumors. These unfounded claims suggest that tourists could be abducted and transported across borders to work in exploitative scamming compounds located in Myanmar or Cambodia.
Jia Xueqiong, a 44-year-old nurse from China who recently vacationed in Thailand with her husband and daughter, shared her family’s concerns. “They felt it was not safe here, and tried to persuade us not to come,” she said outside Bangkok’s unusually tranquil Grand Palace. “All my friends said ‘You go first to explore, if it’s ok we will follow.'”
The anxieties of Jia’s family and friends were partly fueled by the release of “No More Bets,” a high-octane thriller claiming to be based on “real events.” The film revolves around a computer programmer who finds himself in a violent scamming compound in Southeast Asia after being trafficked through a country conspicuously reminiscent of Thailand.
While the movie draws some inspiration from reality, extensive reporting by AFP and other media outlets has revealed thousands of Chinese individuals being enticed to centers in Southeast Asia—primarily in Myanmar and Cambodia—to engage in online scams that fleece victims of significant sums. Importantly, most individuals involved are deceived with false promises of lucrative employment, rather than being abducted while on holiday. To date, no such scam compounds have been discovered in Thailand.
Despite its August release, “No More Bets” has skyrocketed to become China’s third-most-popular film this year, earning a staggering 3.8 billion yuan (US$521 million) and intensifying discussions online about the perceived perils of visiting Thailand.
Leanna Qian, a 22-year-old student from Beijing, acknowledged that some of the stories were “exaggerated” but remained apprehensive about traveling to Thailand. “I’m worried that we’ll be taken to other places, such as Cambodia or Myanmar,” she expressed.
ACTION CALL
In 2019, Thailand set a record by welcoming 11 million Chinese tourists, constituting a quarter of all visitors that year, according to official data. However, since the beginning of 2023, only 2.3 million Chinese tourists have visited. Last week, the Thai government introduced temporary visa-free travel for Chinese travelers in a bid to revive tourism.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, pointed out that negative online chatter played a pivotal role in the drop in Chinese tourists. “Things don’t happen in Thailand but Thailand is targeted,” he remarked.
The rumors first emerged online in March and spread rapidly, with posts being shared and viewed millions of times. Topics related to the safety of travel in Southeast Asia gained traction on Weibo.
The rumors became so persistent that earlier this year, the Thai embassy in Beijing issued a statement reassuring visitors of the government’s commitment to ensuring tourists’ safety.
On the other side of the border, Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, revealed a grimmer situation. Her company has not received any Chinese tour groups this year, primarily due to tourists’ apprehensions about safety. She noted, “If the Chinese government helps, we will receive tourists soon because Chinese people listen to their government.”
“NEVER RETURN”
Back in China, travel agencies are redirecting their focus from international trips, which accounted for more than 40 percent of their tourism revenue before the pandemic, towards promoting domestic tours.
Moreover, businesses are grappling with the enduring repercussions of Beijing’s stringent COVID-19 control measures, which restricted approximately 1.2 billion people from leaving China after the borders closed in 2020.
Gary Bowerman, director of travel and tourism consulting firm Check-in Asia, stressed that it takes time for people to regain confidence in traveling abroad. “Going out of the country again, you start hearing about these scams… It does have an impact on people’s psychological willingness to travel,” he noted.
Meanwhile, domestic travel is experiencing a boom, especially among younger people who view it as a trendy alternative to international flights.
In the offices of a Beijing-based travel agency that wished to remain anonymous, employees were diligently promoting domestic holiday packages. The agency, once employing over 200 individuals, had downsized to only a few dozen employees due to the gloomy global economic climate, visa complications, and a sluggish aviation industry recovery.
“There’s not much willingness to go abroad,” said Guo, an employee who preferred to be referred to by one name. She added, “And for Southeast Asia, there’s also the fear that they could go but never return.”
Outside Bangkok’s Grand Palace, tourist Jia dismissed the fears that prevail within China. “It isn’t like what’s said on the internet, being scammed or other things,” she affirmed. “There is nothing like that at all.”
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