China’s Warning of Kidnappings and Ransom Scams Puts Thailand’s Tourism Under Pressure
China’s Warning of Kidnappings and Ransom Scams Puts Thailand’s Tourism Under Pressure
BANGKOK, October 22, 2026 —Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul has pledged tighter security measures and closer cooperation with Chinese authorities following a Chinese embassy advisory urging visitors to exercise caution over their safety in Thailand.
Speaking at Government House at 10am on October 20, ahead of a Cabinet meeting, Surasak said tourist safety remained a central priority under the prime minister’s policy. He added that authorities had also treated visitor safety as an important issue in the past.
Minister Says Some Victims May Have Been Deceived Before Travelling
Surasak said the circumstances surrounding Chinese nationals who travel to Thailand needed to be examined carefully. He argued that people arriving genuinely for tourism would be unlikely to be kidnapped or forcibly taken to a border area.
While acknowledging that cases involving kidnapped tourists had occurred, the minister suggested that some victims might have been deceived in their home countries for criminal purposes before travelling. He said checkpoints were established along border routes to neighbouring countries, giving victims opportunities to seek assistance.
Surasak said he understood China’s concerns about the safety of its citizens, particularly the risk of people being deceived by fellow nationals. However, he questioned the likelihood of genuine tourists being forcibly taken to the border.
“For tourists genuinely wanting to visit Thailand, and who do not intend to travel onwards to another country, incidents like this would not happen,” he said.
Thailand Promises Tighter Security and Greater Cooperation
Surasak said Thailand would not allow its territory to be used as a transit route for transnational crime. He said the Royal Thai Police, tourist police, immigration police, relevant Interior Ministry agencies and other security bodies would strengthen enforcement measures to improve visitor confidence.
Thailand would also work more closely with Chinese authorities to identify outstanding concerns and improve information-sharing, he added.
The minister acknowledged that the Chinese embassy’s advisory had affected Thailand’s tourism image, saying the country’s reputation had already suffered an impact even before a formal warning was issued. He stressed that Chinese visitors remained an important market for Thailand’s tourism industry.
Minister Defends Thailand’s Safety Record
Surasak maintained that Thailand provided the same level of care to Chinese visitors as it did to tourists of other nationalities. He questioned why similar incidents appeared to affect Chinese tourists if Thailand itself were inherently unsafe.
He also suggested that, in some cases, contact with victims had been established before they travelled to Thailand. According to the minister, some people may have been lured into travelling without realising they had been deceived.
His remarks came as Thai authorities pledged closer coordination with China to address safety concerns and prevent the country from being used by transnational criminal networks.
