Despite the "Wang Xing Incident" at the beginning of the year once causing concerns among Chinese tourists about safety in Thailand, the latest data shows that Thailand remains the most popular outbound travel destination for Chinese tourists. According to the statistics from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, from January 1 to April 20, 2025, Thailand received over 11.27 million foreign tourists, with Chinese tourists reaching 1.52 million, ranking first.
Even after the Songkran Festival in the off-season for tourism, Chinese tourists still ranked second in the number of inbound tourists last week with 54,000 visits. In popular tourist destinations such as Bangkok and Phuket, Chinese signage and mobile payments are ubiquitous, demonstrating Thailand's continued appeal to Chinese tourists.
Review and Impact of the Wang Xing Incident
In January 2025, Chinese actor Wang Xing experienced an attempted kidnapping in Thailand, which led to the exposure of a transnational tele-fraud network. Comments by senior Thai police officials describing Thailand as a "crime transit station" caused a huge uproar, leading to a sharp decline in travel bookings to Thailand during the Spring Festival, and a corresponding drop in Thai tourism stocks.
To regain market confidence, the Thai government acted swiftly: enhancing security measures, closely communicating with the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, and the Prime Minister personally recording a video invitation in Chinese. At the same time, they actively explored alternative markets such as South Korea and Japan. These measures effectively stabilized the tourism industry's foundation.
Ongoing Social Reactions
After returning to China, Wang Xing shared his experiences on a variety show, but the request by the show's team to "re-enact the kidnapping scene" sparked public outrage. Netizens criticized the TV station for "exploiting the victim," and related topics continued to dominate hot searches. Wang Xing expressed his willingness to bring his experience to the big screen to raise public awareness of prevention.
Thailand's Strong Measures Against Tele-Fraud
Following the incident, Thailand introduced several strong measures:
Legislative Upgrade: In April, the "Royal Decree on Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crimes" was enacted, establishing a specialized prevention and control center, with a maximum penalty of 500,000 Thai Baht.
Enhanced Law Enforcement: In the first quarter, 135,000 accounts involved in cases were frozen, and 869 people were arrested; cooperation with Myanmar led to the reception of 276 tele-fraud suspects.
Strict Visa Control: 28 foreigners abusing student visas were investigated, and immigration monitoring was strengthened.
The New Normal in Tourism
Thailand is currently promoting a "safe tourism" new standard:
Popular attractions are equipped with Chinese-language emergency hotlines
An emergency assistance fund for tourists has been established
Crime suppression data is regularly published
Tourism professionals say: "Now, every tour group specifically discusses anti-fraud guidelines, which is unprecedented."
