According to local media reports, Thai police arrested two Chinese men in Bangkok on the evening of February 5. The two suspects, aged 29 and 30, allegedly posed as police officers and officials from the government's anti-money laundering department to defraud victims.
They promoted fake services on social media, claiming to help fraud victims recover lost funds, only to scam them again.
Previously, Chinese actor Xing Wang was deceived by a telecom fraud group under the pretense of traveling to Thailand for a film project. He was instead lured to a scam hub in Myanmar. The incident has intensified concerns about travel safety in Thailand, drawing widespread attention on social media.
Fears over safety have led many Chinese tourists to cancel their trips. However, some who had already booked flights chose to proceed with their plans to avoid cancellation fees.
The Thailand Outbound Tourism Association estimates that the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand during the Spring Festival holiday dropped significantly, resulting in a loss of approximately RMB 1 billion (about USD 137 million) for the tourism industry.
A travel agency in China’s Jiangsu province also reported that nearly 30% of its customers canceled their Thailand tours. The agency initially planned 20 to 30 tour groups for the holiday period, but only about 10 groups remained.
