Phaichit Viboontanasarn, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in China and former Minister Counsellor (Commercial) at the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing, has warned that Thailand has spent more than a decade missing out on “strategic opportunities” in the Chinese market.
He said Thailand failed to keep pace with China’s rapid shift to full-scale online consumption, leaving Thai goods “behind the curve” and increasingly viewed as “outdated” by Chinese consumers.
He noted that Thailand has not invested consistently in new product development, lacks a strong brand identity, and has struggled to present a unified health-centric narrative for Thai food products, despite clear potential.
Without research-backed communication, he said, Thailand remains unable to penetrate China’s fast-growing middle-class segment.
“The past 10 years have been wasted,” Phaichit said. “China’s market is 35 times larger than Thailand’s, yet we can access only a fraction of it because our products, strategies and personnel are still not ready.”
Tourism image declines amid safety concerns
Thailand’s reputation among Chinese tourists has deteriorated due to several high-profile safety incidents, including fraud, illegal detention and cybercrime.
As a result, Chinese arrivals this year may reach only 4 million—well below the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s target of 5 million and far from the pre-Covid level of 7–8 million.
To rebuild confidence, he proposed a strategy of “one negative story must be countered with three positive ones”. He added that the recent state visit to China by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her Majesty Queen Suthida during November 13–17, 2025, significantly boosted Thailand’s image on Chinese media platforms.
China moves ahead with clear strategies as competition intensifies
China now hosts more than 80 million SMEs and micro-enterprises, creating an intensely competitive environment where local goods are widely seen as “cheap and high-quality”, backed by fast-advancing technology in sectors including EVs, home appliances, food and consumer products.
China’s strategic direction is also more coherent, with national plans set by the Chinese Communist Party. These include:
"To survive in China, foreign businesses must understand this Chinese way of thinking,” he said.
Source: Nation Thailand
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
