Even White Lotus effect not much help for Thai tourism hit by ‘bad news’ events

The show has not been enough to revive the kingdom’s tourism decline as safety fears among Asian visitors persist

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Tourists visit a temple in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 22. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:40pm, 5 Jun 2025Updated: 3:41pm, 5 Jun 2025

Thailand’s tourism outlook is in such doldrums that even the so-called The White Lotus effect – a temporary boost in Western visitors inspired by the latest Koh Samui-set season of HBO’s hit show – has not been enough to offset a slump in arrivals from neighbouring countries.

Foreign arrivals to Thailand dropped for the fourth straight month in May, slipping 14 per cent to 2.6 million, government data showed. That is the country’s longest streak of declines since 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic closed international borders.

The biggest drop came from travellers from other Asian countries, whose citizens make up the vast majority of tourists to Thailand. Regional arrivals fell nearly 11 per cent this year through May, compared to the same period in 2024. Visits by Chinese tourists, who make up the largest group by nationality, have plummeted – nearly 1 million fewer arrivals so far this year versus 2024.

The plunge heading into the summer holiday period and beyond is causing consternation in Thailand, where tourism makes up about 12 per cent of gross domestic product. It is being fuelled by lingering concerns about safety, with fears about the growing presence of scam centres around the Myanmar border spooking visitors from China.

Thailand has also in recent months contended with an earthquake that beamed images of a destroyed Bangkok skyscraper around the world, the rising popularity of Japan and China as regional tourism destinations and a strong baht that has made it less of a value destination.

“We have lost a lot of tourists to other competing countries in Asia because we didn’t tackle the negative images seriously,” said Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand. “Thailand’s tourism is resilient, but this may take months to rebound.”

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