IR operators alarmed over falling number of tourists in Thailand
Thailand’s tourism industry is facing a sharp decline in international visitors, primarily driven by safety concerns and ongoing political debates over a controversial bill to develop multi-billion-dollar entertainment complexes, including 바카라s.
At the Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable in Bangkok, the recent decline in numbers, especially from mainland China, was a major topic of discussion. Policymakers, business executives, and opposition representatives convened at the event to discuss strategies for boosting the nation’s tourism industry, which is crucial to its economy.
Parit Wacharasindhu, spokesperson for the opposition People’s Party, expressed strong concerns about the proposed bill that aims to legalise 바카라s as part of large-scale entertainment complexes. He argued that permitting gambling facilities could exacerbate the decline in Chinese tourists, Thailand’s largest source of tourists.
Relations with China at risk?
“China is firmly opposed to gambling abroad and has threatened to blacklist countries seen as encouraging Chinese nationals to gamble overseas,” Parit warned. He cautioned that developing 바카라s might not only alienate key markets but also deepen Thailand’s safety challenges.
However, supporters of the bill, including industry executives like Kevin Clayton, Chief Brand Officer at Galaxy Entertainment Group Thailand, challenged this view. Clayton said the root cause of the tourism slump was not related to gambling restrictions but safety fears arising from recent criminal incidents involving Chinese nationals.
“These include scam centres near the Thai border and the highly publicised kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was later found forced to work in a scam operation in neighbouring Myanmar,” Clayton explained. “Such events have led to a serious reassessment of Thailand’s safety as a travel destination.”
Clayton added that China’s opposition to gambling primarily targets capital outflows linked to junket promoters who once ferried wealthy gamblers abroad — a practice ended mainly due to government crackdowns.
Debate over 바카라 continues
The bill’s debate has revealed deep divisions within Thai politics and the tourism industry. Proponents argue that entertainment complexes will attract international investment and boost tourism by offering world-class dining, live performances, retail, and hospitality.
Meanwhile, critics caution that legalising 바카라s risks worsening social problems and diplomatic tensions, particularly with China, Thailand’s most important tourism market.
The impact of these concerns is evident in the statistics. Chinese visitor arrivals have dropped by around 30 percent compared to pre-COVID levels. Thailand’s tourism sector started 2025 strongly with a 22 percent increase in January, but this was followed by declines of 7 percent in February, nearly 9 percent in March, and 7.6 per cent in April. Despite a 13 percent increase in international visitors throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region during the same period, there have been declines in certain areas. Industry experts are urging immediate action to restore confidence in the tourism sector.
And so, calls are growing for a strategic overhaul of Thailand’s tourism industry, emphasising the development of safe and luxurious entertainment complexes that incorporate Thai culture while meeting global standards.
