Chinese tourists vanish from Pattaya amid fear, scams, and rising costs—visitors now question if Thailand’s beach city is still worth the trip. (Photo – Pattaya Beach Road in June) PATTAYA, Thailand – Once a bustling magnet for global travelers, Pattaya is experiencing what many long-term visitors are calling its quietest low season in decades. While government tourism figures continue to show optimism, those on the ground paint a very different picture—one marked by shuttered bars, thinning crowds, and mounting frustration. “I’m here in Pattaya right now, and I’ve never in 20+ years seen a low season so quiet,” said one expat. “Countless bars with hardly any punters—it’s sad.” The most glaring absence is Chinese tourists. Once a dominant force in Pattaya’s visitor mix, their numbers have sharply declined, sparking speculation, concern, and no small amount of criticism. “It’s frankly weird how scared Chinese people are for completely no reason,” one long-term resident said bluntly. “Some Chinese dude struck a very iffy deal with some criminal compatriots in Myanmar and now Thailand is unsafe for regular families from China? That’s just not logical. Maybe Thailand just needs to wait until Chinese people develop some common sense.” Another theory is more economic. “The truth is that too many businesses are down in China, and clever Chinese aren’t spending their money on holidays.” Some blame perceptions of safety. “A tourist dies in Phuket every second day lately,” another commenter noted. “My Chinese friends say Thailand is just too dangerous and have chosen safer destinations to travel to.” The concerns aren’t limited to China. Western travelers are feeling the financial pinch too. “Flight prices are high when travelling with family—nearly £1,000 per person. A family of five will need £5,000 just for flights from the UK to Thailand,” wrote one European tourist. “I think the problem is on the West’s side: high taxes and crippling prices on holidays and flights outside the EU.” Others are disillusioned by what Pattaya itself has become. “Too many scams, violence, and young drunk men racing around on motorcycles at all hours—fighting and making ‘real tourists’ uncomfortable,” said another. “Ladyboys harassing everyone on beach roads… need more?” Even with a relatively strong Thai baht and regional competition heating up, many locals and visitors alike are asking the hard question: If it’s not the exchange rate, then what’s really keeping Europeans and Chinese tourists away from Pattaya? Until that answer is clear—and solutions follow—Pattaya’s quiet streets may continue to reflect a deeper turbulence beneath the surface of Thailand’s tourist economy.