'Cambodia Scammer' Crisis Hits Thai Tourism Confidence, Industry Urges 'ASEAN Safety Hub' Role

ATTA demands proactive measures as East Asian tourist bookings fall amid safety fears; government approves stimulus

 

The growing crisis surrounding Cambodia's online scammer centres is severely damaging confidence in Thailand's tourism sector, prompting the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) to urge the government to take a leadership role as the "ASEAN Safety Hub."

 

ATTA warned that the scam operations have caused East Asian tourists, particularly from key markets like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, to become increasingly wary of travelling to countries bordering Cambodia, including Thailand.

 

The Thai Cabinet has responded by approving a separate five-point stimulus package aimed at accelerating government spending and boosting tourism, which officials project will add 0.04% to GDP in the fourth quarter.

 

 

 

The Scammer Impact on Key Markets

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported that arrivals from most East Asian countries were down in the first nine months of 2025 (Jan–Sept) compared to the previous year:

• China: $3.47$ million arrivals, down 34.97%.
• South Korea: $1.13$ million arrivals, down 17.70%.
• Taiwan: $0.73$ million arrivals, down 9.14%.

 

Japan saw a slight increase of 5.39% to $0.80$ million arrivals.

 

Adith Chairattananon, ATTA's Secretary-General, explained that anxiety over the "Scammer Centers" in Cambodia has created a "ripple effect" of uncertainty that extends to transit countries like Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

 

 

He noted that many tourists use Thailand as a crucial transit hub before flying to the CLMV group (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) but feel unprotected by a clear Thai government security system.

 

"This situation doesn't just damage Thailand's brand as the ASEAN tourism hub; it could affect long-term revenue and investment if Thailand doesn't show proactive leadership," Adith stated.

 

 

 

ATTA's Four-Point Safety Proposal

To restore traveller trust, ATTA called on the government to immediately implement four safety measures for tourists transiting to CLMV nations:

 

Joint Safety Protocol: Establish bilateral and multilateral policy discussions with origin countries (South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan) to create a "Joint Safety Protocol" for mutual risk exchange and early warning.

 

Safety Endorsement: Issue a "Tourist Safety Acknowledgement" document to transiting passengers, similar to a Travel Advisory Note, confirming they have passed standard checks and received essential safety information.

 

Data Monitoring System: Use immigration and airline data to build a statistical tracking system (e.g., number of transit passengers, high-risk routes) to share with CLMV countries for preventative planning.

 

Regional Safety Network: Create a dedicated “Safe ASEAN Travel Desk” to serve as a central information hub for emergency exchange and practical advice for travellers.

 

"Thailand's position in ASEAN must be clear: we are not just a thoroughfare, but a protector," Adith emphasised. "Taking these steps will create new global confidence that Thailand is a safe, reliable, and responsible regional centre."

 

 

 

 

MICE Sector Holds Firm

In contrast to the general tourism market, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) sector has reported minimal impact.

 

Supawan Teerarat, director of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), said the issue is primarily affecting leisure tourism, noting that the business community remains committed to global trade shows to avoid falling behind.

 

"We have received no reports that business travel insurance is now invalid due to the scammer situation, so travel continues as normal," she confirmed.

 

Sanchai Noombunnam of Informa Markets Thailand added that Chinese exhibitors are still entering the country and are, in fact, increasing their presence.

 

 

 

Government’s Five-Point Stimulus

The Cabinet approved a stimulus package, part of the government's "Quick Big Win" policy, designed to prevent a slump in Q4 GDP.

 

Lavaron Sangsnit, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Finance, said the measures were essential given that domestic tourism accounts for 14% of GDP.

 

The package includes:

Personal Tax Breaks: Individuals can claim up to ฿20,000 in tax deductions for travel expenses until December 15. Spending in 55 secondary provinces receives a 1.5x deduction.

 

Corporate Seminar Benefits: Businesses can deduct expenses for staff seminars, receiving a 2x deduction for events in secondary provinces.
 

Front-Loading Government Spending: Government agencies are mandated to disburse 60% of their annual training and seminar budgets in Q4 (Oct 29–Dec 15) to inject approximately 13 billion baht into the system.

 

Hotel Improvement Tax Relief: Hotel operators can claim a 2x tax deduction on costs for renovation and expansion until March 31, 2026.

 

Excise Tax Extension: The reduced excise tax rate (from 10% to 5%) for entertainment venues is extended until the end of 2026.

 

The Fiscal Policy Office projects the package will boost GDP by about 0.04%, with the Ministry of Finance aiming for a combined 1% increase from all five policy pillars in the final quarter.