The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is considering cutting the visa-free period for Chinese tourists from 60 days to 10-15 days, following concerns about scammer gangs targeting foreign visitors, especially Chinese nationals, who are being lured into Myanmar.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool announced on Tuesday that while the agency is not in favor of completely abolishing the visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, they are considering shortening the stay duration to better align with the typical visit length of Chinese tourists, which ranges from 7-10 days.
Visa-free entry for Chinese tourists was introduced in Thailand on September 25, 2023, under the administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Subsequently, Thailand declared a 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries, including China, extending the initial 30-day period, effective from July 15, 2024, to the present.
The agency still aims to attract 8 million Chinese tourists in 2025, an increase from 6.73 million the previous year, with the Tourism Ministry setting a higher target of 8.8-9 million visitors.
Security concerns have recently impacted the tourism sector. Thien Prasit Chaiphatranant, President of the Thai Hotels Association, disclosed that there have been 12,428 room cancellations since January, with 4,572 of those from Chinese tourists and 7,856 from other nationalities.
These cancellations followed a high-profile scam involving Chinese celebrity Wang Xing.
Bangkok recorded the most cancellations by Chinese tourists, followed by Nonthaburi, Chiang Rai, Chonburi, and Chiang Mai. Among non-Chinese tourists, Chonburi saw the highest number of cancellations, followed by Bangkok and Krabi.
Hotel operators have noted that while the impact on individual travelers is minimal, group tours have been more severely affected by these issues.
To address these concerns, National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panpetch convened an emergency video conference today with regional police commanders to discuss transnational crime and enhance tourist security.
He clarified that Thai tourism authorities are not involved in any scamming activities and announced increased surveillance in border regions, particularly in the Mae Sot district, where illegal crossings have been reported.
The police chief assured that law enforcement would focus on safeguarding tourists from the moment of their arrival until the end of their stay in Thailand, focusing on preventive measures to avert incidents before they occur.