Thailand reassures security measures for Chinese tourists following visa exemption

In a Facebook post last week, the Chinese embassy said its government was happy about Thailand's move to offer visa exemption for Chinese tourists and willing to support the scheme.

However, it called on the Thai government to boost safety measures for Chinese tourists.

Chinese tourists can enter Thailand without a visa from September 25 to February 29 next year following a decision by the new government last week.

However, there were recent reports on social media claiming some Chinese nationals were abducted while travelling in Thailand, leaving them worried about their safety, said Kanchana Patarachoke, spokeswoman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as cited by Bangkok Post.

Thailand will make every effort to ensure safety of Chinese nationals as well as tourists from all other countries, Patarachoke added.

During the first eight months of this year, Thailand welcomed around 2 million Chinese, nearly half of this year's 5 million target.

Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were the biggest market of Thailand's tourism industry. In 2019, over 11 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand, accounting for more than a quarter of its total foreign arrivals.