Thai and Chinese officials recently met to address concerns stemming from a Chinese film that negatively depicted Thailand, causing worry among Chinese tourists.
Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Puangpet Chunlaiad informed Chinese Ambassador Han Zhiqiang during the meeting that the film titled “No More Bets” wrongly portrayed Thailand with illegal activities, including human trafficking, organ trade, call center scams, and extortion gangs, potentially affecting Chinese tourists’ perceptions of safety.
Minister Puangpet clarified that the film was not shot in Thailand but featured the Thai language in some scenes, leading to misunderstandings on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The aim of the meeting was to reassure Chinese citizens about the film’s inaccuracy and emphasize Thailand’s strict safety measures for tourists.
The Thai government also stressed the importance of close communication with China and discussed cooperation between Thailand’s Department of Public Relations and China Media Group (CMG) to prevent misinformation and strengthen bilateral relations.
Ambassador Han Zhiqiang responded positively, assuring that Thailand remains a popular destination for Chinese tourists and expressing confidence that this incident would not affect their trust. He also highlighted the upcoming Chinese New Year festival as an opportunity to strengthen travel relations between the two countries. (NNT)
