Thailand’s arrivals from China fell 13.57% in October, preliminary government data showed, even as China remained its largest source market through the first 10 months of 2026.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports recorded 308,942 arrivals from China in October. From Jan. 1 through Oct. 31, the total reached 4,244,376, a 12.44% increase from the same period in 2025.
The Embassy of China in Thailand issued a safety advisory on Oct. 16. It cited cases of Chinese nationals going missing or being illegally detained after entering Thailand, including people deceived into traveling toward the Thai-Myanmar border. The embassy cautioned travelers about misleading job, investment, business and entertainment offers, as well as unsafe transport arrangements.
The South China Morning Post reported that the Tourism Authority of Thailand attributed part of October’s decline to the advisory. The authority also cited possible flooding in Bangkok, the outlet reported.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the concerns centered on scams operated by Chinese nationals, rather than risks to ordinary tourists. Thailand’s government said it was coordinating with Chinese authorities and Thai agencies.
Subramania Bhatt, CEO of China Trading Desk, said safety concerns could lead some Chinese travelers to choose other Southeast Asian destinations, the South China Morning Post reported. The outlet also reported that organized tour groups were among the segments most likely to cancel.
Thailand has set a target of 6.7 million arrivals from China in 2026, compared with about 4.5 million in 2025, the Thai government said. Thailand and China planned to establish a joint working group on tourist safety and scams during the week after Nov. 7, The Nation reported, citing Surasak.
