Foreign Minister Responds After Chinese Embassy Issues Travel Advisory

BANGKOK, Oct 22 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow called for a balanced approach to travel warnings on Wednesday following an advisory from the Chinese Embassy warning its citizens to beware of job offers that could lead to potential kidnappings in Thailand.

Sihasak stressed that travel advisories should be appropriate to the situation and not cause excessive panic, stating that Thailand attaches great importance to tourist safety and that visitors from many countries feel safe in the country. He added that warnings should not cause unnecessary alarm and that both sides should work together to address the root causes of the issue.

In the northern tourism hub of Chiang Mai, local officials reported no impact from the embassy notice. Keng Chaiwarin, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chiang Mai Office, said travel signals from Chinese tourists remain positive, with no cancellations of hotel bookings or flights recorded so far. He noted that local hosts will take the best care of tourists, fitting for a city ranked the safest in ASEAN for two consecutive years.

Prasit Ittipattanakul, vice president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association, noted that while the advisory aims to heighten tourist caution and might lead to short-term delays or rerouting, preventing scams and protecting travelers will ultimately benefit long-term confidence in Thai tourism. -819 (TNA)