China has again warned Thailand that criticism of Chinese influence, crime networks and business activity is hurting tourism, as Beijing pushes back against the term “grey Chinese” while Thai authorities intensify probes into nominee firms, organised crime and expanding foreign business operations in all sectors.
China has again warned Thailand that negative media coverage, political rhetoric and public perceptions are damaging Chinese tourism to the kingdom, even as Thai authorities widen investigations into Chinese-linked crime networks, nominee businesses and expanding economic influence. The renewed intervention from Ambassador Zhang Jianwei, relayed by Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul on Tuesday, revives an issue first raised in 2025 and highlights a growing unease between Beijing’s concern over its image and Thailand’s increasingly aggressive scrutiny of Chinese business activity, organised crime and foreign influence at a time when Chinese visitors remain vital to the country’s struggling and uneven tourism recovery.
The Chinese ambassador to Thailand has renewed a warning first delivered nine months ago. Beijing believes negative perceptions of China in Thailand affect tourism from the mainland market. The message was relayed on Tuesday by Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak before the weekly Cabinet meeting at Government House.
Significantly, the warning was almost identical to one first conveyed in September 2025. Then, Deputy Prime Minister Thamanat Prompow passed on the ambassador’s concerns to the public. The repetition suggests Beijing believes the problem has not eased.
Instead, Chinese officials appear increasingly concerned about how China is portrayed in Thailand and how those perceptions influence travel decisions.
Chinese envoy renews warning that negative perceptions and media coverage can affect tourism
According to Mr Surasak, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei again urged Thais not to use the term “grey Chinese” when describing criminals. The ambassador argued that the phrase unfairly stereotypes Chinese people as a whole. He acknowledged that some Chinese nationals break Thai laws. However, he maintained that millions of others travel, work and invest abroad without violating regulations.
“The ambassador said this term makes Chinese people feel that Thailand is unfriendly towards them, and that is genuinely how they feel,” Mr Surasak told reporters.
The renewed intervention comes at a delicate moment. Chinese visitors are again leading Thailand’s tourism recovery. Yet scrutiny of Chinese-linked activities has intensified across the kingdom.
Police, regulators and investigators are examining nominee companies, property ownership structures, illegal businesses and organised criminal networks. Consequently, Chinese-linked stories now feature prominently in political debate and media coverage.
Growing scrutiny of crime networks and business activity places Chinese influence under a sharper spotlight
For Beijing, that trend presents a problem. Chinese officials argue criminal investigations should focus on individual offenders. Thai public debate, however, has increasingly focused on broader concerns.
Those concerns include economic influence, nominee shareholding, foreign business compliance and organised crime. As a result, discussions about Chinese-linked criminality often overlap with wider questions about China’s growing footprint in Thailand.
Mr Surasak stressed that Thailand would continue enforcing its laws regardless of nationality. Anyone breaking Thai law would face prosecution. At the same time, he drew a distinction between criminal conduct and nationality. Asked about reports of Chinese-operated delivery services catering exclusively to Chinese customers, the minister said such operations were already illegal. In response, authorities would continue enforcement efforts.
“We will certainly crack down on them,” he said.
However, Mr Surasak noted that successful enforcement requires cooperation between several ministries. The Commerce Ministry plays a role. The Transport Ministry is also involved. Therefore, investigations often extend beyond tourism authorities alone.
Ambassador Zhang makes tourism concerns a priority after taking up post in Bangkok in 2025
The ambassador’s concerns first emerged publicly shortly after his arrival in Bangkok. Zhang Jianwei assumed his post in July 2025 and later presented his credentials to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
He succeeded Han Zhiqiang, who had served as ambassador since 2021. Since taking office, Zhang has actively promoted China-Thailand cooperation in trade, investment, technology, education and infrastructure.
Yet tourism quickly became a major focus.
In September 2025, Chinese visitor numbers were falling despite visa-free travel arrangements and intensive promotional campaigns. Chinese tourists had traditionally formed Thailand’s largest foreign visitor group. Therefore, declining arrivals immediately attracted attention in both capitals.
At a media briefing in Bangkok, Ambassador Zhang addressed the issue directly. He acknowledged growing concern among Chinese travellers regarding safety in Thailand. Several incidents had received extensive publicity in China. Reports involving transnational scam compounds generated particular alarm. Criminal cases involving Chinese nationals also attracted significant coverage.
Wang Xing kidnapping case heightened fears among Chinese travellers and fuelled safety concerns
Most notably, the kidnapping case involving Chinese actor Wang Xing resonated strongly with the Chinese public. The incident became headline news. Consequently, concerns regarding personal safety increased. Chinese social media platforms carried extensive discussion of the case. Questions followed regarding security standards and law enforcement effectiveness.
Despite those concerns, Zhang defended Thailand’s reputation. He described the kingdom as a safe destination. He also praised Thai authorities for their efforts to improve visitor protection. Nevertheless, he argued that another factor was affecting tourism.
That factor is perception.
According to the ambassador, repeated references to “grey Chinese” are contributing to a negative image of China and Chinese visitors. Moreover, he argues that criminals should be identified individually rather than collectively.
In his view, broad labels create unfair stereotypes. They also risk damaging relations between the two countries with deep economic ties.
Rising concern over investment and nominee businesses increases pressure on China-Thailand relations
The ambassador’s remarks coincide with growing anxiety inside Thailand. Chinese investment is expanding rapidly. Chinese businesses are becoming more visible. Simultaneously, authorities are uncovering networks allegedly using Thai nominees to circumvent foreign ownership rules. Several investigations involve property acquisitions, tourism operations and commercial ventures.
Notably, these investigations are not occurring in isolation. They form part of a wider effort to examine foreign business compliance across several sectors. Consequently, cases involving Chinese-linked entities attract substantial public attention.
In parallel, politicians increasingly raise questions about the scale of Chinese influence. Some focus on investment. Others focus on competition for local businesses. Meanwhile, enforcement agencies are expanding investigations into alleged criminal activity. The result is a sharp increase in scrutiny of Chinese-linked operations.
Against that backdrop, Beijing is becoming concerned that criticism of criminal activity is broadening into criticism of China itself. Chinese officials believe public perceptions are becoming increasingly important. Furthermore, they fear those perceptions could affect tourism demand.
Beijing links political rhetoric and public attitudes with weaker tourism numbers from mainland China
Reports in 2025 suggested Ambassador Zhang previously raised these concerns privately with senior Thai figures.
Chinese officials reportedly believe some political rhetoric is harming traveller confidence. Subsequently, then Deputy Prime Minister Thamanat Prompow acknowledged the issue publicly. He suggested perceptions of disrespect towards China may have contributed to weaker visitor numbers from the mainland market.
Tourism figures in 2025 sparked official concern. During the 2025 Golden Week holiday, arrivals from China reportedly fell by roughly 24%. This occurred despite China remaining Thailand’s largest tourism market. Accordingly, officials on both sides sought explanations for the decline.
Chinese authorities concluded that safety concerns alone did not explain the trend. Instead, they argued that media coverage, public opinion and political rhetoric also played significant roles. Tuesday’s warning indicates Beijing continues to hold that position.
The issue extends beyond Thailand. China remains one of the world’s largest outbound tourism markets. Therefore, changes in sentiment can rapidly affect visitor flows. Tourism operators across Asia monitor Chinese travel trends closely because even modest changes can affect revenue.
Japan example highlights how diplomatic tensions can rapidly affect Chinese outbound tourism
Japan offers a clear example. A deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations has severely reduced Chinese tourism flows there. Industry analysts frequently cite political tensions as a contributing factor. Consequently, governments throughout the region pay close attention to China’s diplomatic signals.
Thailand has particular reasons for doing so. Before the pandemic, Chinese visitors formed the backbone of the country’s tourism sector. Their spending supported airlines, hotels, restaurants, retailers and tourist attractions nationwide. Billions of baht in revenue depended on Chinese arrivals. Therefore, fluctuations in visitor numbers carry significant economic consequences.
The issue became especially important during 2025. Thailand was attempting to rebuild its tourism industry after years of disruption. Yet Chinese arrivals weakened despite favourable visa arrangements. As a result, both governments searched for explanations. Chinese officials pointed towards perception. Thai authorities focused on safety and enforcement. Both sides recognised that confidence remained critical.
This year presents a different picture. Chinese visitors are again leading Thailand’s recovery. Their return has helped offset challenges linked to the Middle East conflict and broader travel uncertainty. However, concerns regarding Chinese-linked crime and business activity have not disappeared. Indeed, scrutiny has intensified.
Nominee investigations and organised crime probes keep Chinese-linked issues in public focus
Over the past year, authorities have launched investigations targeting alleged nominee business networks. Several operations focused on property holdings and tourism-related ventures. Separately, law enforcement agencies pursued cases involving scam compounds, money laundering networks and organised criminal groups. Consequently, Chinese-linked issues have remained highly visible.
For Thai officials, those investigations concern enforcement and compliance. For Chinese officials, they also raise questions about perception. The difference helps explain why the issue continues attracting diplomatic attention.
On another front, the government is pursuing a broader tourism strategy. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has repeatedly emphasised quality over quantity. The objective is not simply higher arrival numbers. Rather, the government seeks greater economic value from tourism spending. Mr Surasak said the strategy aims to improve standards throughout the sector.
AI surveillance and tighter visa controls form part of the government’s tourism security strategy
As part of this effort, Thailand has tightened entry conditions for some visitors. Permitted lengths of stay have been reduced in certain cases. Officials believe some travellers previously used longer visa periods for non-tourism activities. Therefore, tighter controls are intended to improve compliance.
Technology is also playing a larger role. Tourism police have deployed AI-powered surveillance systems at major tourist destinations. AI-equipped cameras have been installed at ports and attractions, including Koh Samui. According to Mr Surasak, the system can identify visa overstayers and support immigration enforcement.
Meanwhile, authorities are expanding cooperation across agencies. Mr Surasak compared the effort to anti-drug campaigns, which depend on coordinated action. Tourism security, he argued, cannot be managed by a single organisation. The minister also said Prime Minister Anutin has instructed officials to closely monitor developments in Phuket and ensure investigations do not lose momentum.
Tourism dependence and crime concerns leave Thailand balancing economics and law enforcement
Nearly a year after first raising the issue, Ambassador Zhang’s message remains unchanged. China wants criminal suspects prosecuted. It wants illegal businesses investigated. However, Beijing also wants distinctions made between criminal networks and the wider Chinese community.
That position now sits alongside rising concern in Thailand over Chinese-linked crime, foreign influence and business practices. Neither issue appears likely to disappear. Consequently, the debate has become part of a broader discussion about tourism, investment, law enforcement and one of Thailand’s most important international relationships.
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For now, Beijing continues delivering the same warning. Chinese officials believe perception affects tourism. Thailand’s tourism industry, heavily dependent on Chinese visitors, remains central to that argument.
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