The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has hired superstar Lisa — Lalisa Manobal — as a tourism ambassador for 12 months. The move clearly illustrates the country’s attempt to regain the tourist momentum, which has been lost in recent months.
Thailand has already been dethroned by Vietnam for the first time as the favourite destination for Chinese travellers to Southeast Asia. Neighbouring Malaysia is also emerging as a strong contender to attract more tourists.
The kingdom continues to struggle with a tourism hangover caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has yet to reach the figures seen before the outbreak, when the nation welcomed nearly 40 million foreign arrivals — the largest proportion of them Chinese.
The struggle persists this year, although more Chinese tourists visited the kingdom during the recently concluded Golden Week than expected.
Thailand recorded 24 million foreign arrivals in the first nine months of this year, a 7.5% drop from the same period last year, says the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
“Collaborating with Lisa as Amazing Thailand Ambassador marks another significant milestone in presenting the charm, diversity and wonders of Thailand from a fresh perspective,” boasted TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool.
“Lisa is one of Thailand’s greatest sources of pride,” the tourism chief added.
That is how Thailand presents itself to tourists: come here and enjoy tom yum kung and other dishes, magnificent temples, stunning beaches and more. These messages have been repeated time and again, yet the number of holidaymakers has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
The decline in popularity is not because Thai soup has lost its spicy kick, temples have become monotonous, or beaches have lost their allure.
The sharp drop in tourist numbers — especially among Chinese visitors — is largely due to concerns over personal safety in vehicles, at sea and on the streets.
Thailand is notorious for its high rate of road accidents; World Health Organization statistics bear this out. Maritime safety fares no better.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred in July 2018, when the Phoenix tour boat sank off Phuket, claiming the lives of 46 snorkellers. Accidents involving buses, vans and boats with tourists aboard happen regularly, often due to reckless driving and poor safety standards.
Perhaps the gravest concern is for the safety of life itself. The sharp decline in Chinese visitors this year was triggered by the abduction of actor Wang Xing in January, who was kidnapped and trafficked to an online scam centre in Myanmar.
The incident sent shockwaves through China, prompting many would-be tourists to reconsider travelling to Thailand. The fear is that they could be abducted and trafficked upon arrival at a Thai airport.
In August, two Malaysian tourists were set on fire by an unemployed security guard on a street in downtown Bangkok. While the incident may have been unpredictable, it underscored the perception that danger can strike anywhere, at any time.
Thailand has yet to implement serious measures to reassure tourists that their safety is a priority — whether walking the streets or travelling by boat or bus. Visitors also risk being overcharged by unscrupulous taxi or tuk-tuk drivers.
Official responses to such incidents are often limited to apologies and the occasional bouquet of flowers for hospitalised victims, accompanied by empty promises.
This lack of action is unsurprising, given the risks faced by citizens themselves. Travelling along Rama II Road is a case in point — drivers never know when a brick or part of a pedestrian bridge might fall onto their vehicles.
One day, this could happen to a bus full of tourists en route to the beaches of the central or southern provinces. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened yet.
The TAT is enthusiastic about using Lisa to restore Thailand’s top-tier tourism status and attract new visitors. But unless Thailand addresses its safety shortcomings, even a dozen Lisas won’t be enough.