Capturing a digital memory of his arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport on the 25th of September, a Chinese visitor seizes the first day of temporary visa waivers for tourists originating from China. This hospitality gift from Thailand to China is set to run its course until the 25th of February next year. (Image credits: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
Despite the allure of Thailand’s enchanting beauty, around 60,000 Chinese tourists rescinded their travel plans following a chilling incident at the Siam Paragon. The unfortunate event transpired on the 3rd of October, resulting in three mortalities, one of them being a Chinese visitor, alongside four other injuries. Official statistics from Thai airports registered incoming Chinese tourism figures at 590,000 post-event. This number denotes a 9.2% drop when compared with the 650,000 bookings previously recorded, as shared by government representative, Chai Wacharonke, on a Saturday release.
Nonetheless, the fluctuating numbers nods towards a routine trend. The echoed similarity lies between the elevated rate of ticket reservations and the comparatively lower actual ticket purchases. “If we dip our toes into the data patterns, booking amounts typically hover around 15% above or below the actual travel numbers. This means that the 9.2% reduction of Chinese tourists marking their journey post-incident is statistically justifiable. The numbers serve as a testament to the continued faith Chinese tourists vest in their Thai travels,” Wacharonke shared in his briefing.
Taking a turn towards gratitude, Mr. Chai extended sincere thanks to those Chinese tourists who bent against the curve and proceeded with their pre-decided voyages despite the tragic occurrence. He applauded their collective understanding of Thai culture and their trust in the government’s safety measures.
“On behalf of the Thailand government, we extend warm and appreciative thanks to all the Chinese tourists who chose to travel our land amidst this hardship. Their belief shines a light on the trust placed in our management and their understanding of our people. Further, the Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has taken action to enhance safety compliance across all responsible agencies. This step is taken in accordance with standardized safety norms to safeguard tourists and Thai citizens alike,” he further added.
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