While many Chinese travellers will be making overseas trips this week during China's long "Golden Week" holiday, fewer will be coming to Thailand.
Acknowledging the tumbling number of tourist arrivals from China, which fell by 12% in August, the Thai government this week has come up with measures to lure them back.
But those measures are merely ad hoc and China-specific solutions that overlook the fact that the government should be making Thailand a tourist-friendly and safe destination for all visitors from all other countries.
And while the government is obsessed with boosting the number of Chinese tourists, it should be aware of the limitations of Thailand's infrastructure and the associated environmental impact.
It is understandable why the government is sensitive about the recent drop in Chinese tourist arrivals. Visitors from China made up about a quarter of Thailand's 35 million tourists last year. Tourism is also a key industry, generating about 1.8 trillion baht, or 17.6% of gross domestic product.
A tour boat accident off Phuket in July that killed 47 Chinese tourists is seen as a key factor that triggered the slump. To add salt to the wound, a recent video of a Don Mueang airport guard punching a Chinese tourist who refused to pay a tip to get fast-track immigration service has gone viral.
Earlier, the government made things easier for Chinese visitors at key airports by offering them special immigration lanes. This week, it is considering a dual-entry visa over a six-month period for Chinese tourists, while the Immigration Bureau has also come up with "no tips" signboards at Don Mueang airport.
These strategies show the government is dealing with each specific incident as it arises, when it should instead come up with holistic approaches that address the root cause of the problems.
For instance, tourists may have experienced demands for tips from officials elsewhere, besides airport immigration services. So the "no tips" message should be delivered to all ranks in various agencies -- especially the Royal Thai Police.
In addition, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's call for people to stop sharing the video of the guard punching the Chinese tourist indicates a culture of cover-up.
Gen Prayut is worried that the video will be detrimental to the country's image. But he should be reminded that trying to hide it is, in fact, far more damaging.
Thailand's lax attitude to safety is a major concern among tourists. The Phuket boat capsize simply re-emphasised that sentiment among Chinese travellers.
Tourists' confidence could be restored if the state demonstrated that it is taking serious measures to better regulate the industry to ensure maximum safety for tourists.
And while the government is working with a one-track mind on projecting growth in the number of Chinese visitors, it is not taking into account certain associated problems.
FT Confidential Research points out that Thailand's major airports are at risk of being unable to handle the growing number of tourists in the coming decade, according to BBC Thai. At present, it indicates that Suvarnabhumi and other airports in Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai are operating at excess capacity.
The impact on the environment from the growing number of tourists is also a major cause for concern. This is most evident in the recent indefinite closure of Maya Bay in Krabi to allow the damaged marine ecosystem to fully recover. The world-class tourist site has sustained serious damage due to hordes of day-tripping tour groups.
Without a doubt, the increasing number of tourists must pose a threat to other natural sites too. Before boosting tourist growth, the state should enhance measures to prevent and minimise the environmental damage being caused by tourism.
When tourists from China and elsewhere feel that Thailand is a safer and friendlier destination, they will visit without any incentives by the government.