BANGKOK – The Thai police have responded to Chinese individuals creating content that portrays Thailand as dangerous. This comes after the Thai government concluded that such content negatively impacts Chinese tourists visiting Thailand.
The police warn that spreading false information may lead to backlash and restrictions for those who present inaccurate portrayals.
On December 8, the immigration police confronted a Chinese woman creating content about Soi Nana in Bangkok, signaling it as a dangerous place for women. Miss Wang, who entered Thailand with the Thai privilege card, admitted that she produced the content but claimed no intention to harm Thailand, emphasizing the aim to raise awareness among foreigners about certain areas women should be cautious.
Miss Wang posted the clip on TikTok, which was recorded at 11.30 p.m. A foreign man approached her and said, “How are you today?”. The woman then spoke to the camera in Chinese saying she could have been grabbed by him.
“I think a lone woman must not come here because it’s very dangerous. You never know what kind of people you’ll come across. Ninety nine percent of people walking on this street are not good people,” she later concluded.
Law enforcement informs the woman that her online selling activities, live streaming, in Thailand violate regulations governing the work of foreigners without permission. Despite her denial, the police are gathering evidence to proceed with legal action, including potential blacklisting.
Thai authorities caution foreign content creators against generating negative and untrue content that impacts Thailand’s tourism image. They emphasize the intention to pursue legal action for offenses related to misinformation and creating content to gain likes on social media.
Simultaneously, Mrs. Puangpetch Chunla-iad, Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, discussed with Mr. Han Zhiqiang, Ambassador. People’s Republic of China in Thailand the potential impact of the Chinese film “No More Bets” on Thailand’s tourism.
The film portrays issues like human trafficking and organ trade, possibly leading to misunderstandings among tourists. Thailand urges China to collaborate closely with the kingdom through information exchange to counter fake news.
The Chinese Ambassador reassures that Thailand remains a preferred destination for Chinese tourists, expressing confidence that the recent events will not affect their trust. He emphasizes the unchanged popularity of Thailand among Chinese travelers, particularly during the upcoming Chinese New Year festival.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, has set a target of 4–4.4 million Chinese visitors visiting Thailand in 2023 to drive the income of the Chinese tourist market to the target of 257,500 million baht.
However, the number of Chinese tourists who visited Thailand in 2023 from January 1 to December 3 was 3,053,186, the second highest after Malaysia, which had 4,065,198.
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