Key points
- Strangely most of the hotel GMs in Thailand are not addressing any of these problems or are just as incompetent as their rank and file, and hotel owners are either sleeping (maybe with the GMs or some of the hotel staff.
- One Thai-Indian owner with about 8 or so properties has a gay bum from India who is leading an important department of the hotel group and not only is that fat Indian bum so lazy and incompetent, but he gets way with so many mistakes that outsiders can see and the hotel owner must be a real buffoon not to fire him unless of course….
- ) but the smart-arsed guy has no clue what is brewing in many sectors including in the field of PR and digital marketing or even about food and beverage for that matter.
Thailand Hotel News: Vietnam’s hotel sector is experiencing a powerful surge as Chinese traveler arrivals overtake Thailand, reshaping the competitive landscape of Southeast Asian tourism. Once firmly dominated by Thailand, the Chinese outbound market is now gravitating toward Vietnam, driven by safety perceptions, service quality, pricing transparency, and a hotel experience that increasingly aligns with modern travel expectations.
Image Credit: Thailand Hotel News
A Regional Shift Reflected in Hotel Performance
Vietnam welcomed more than 5.3 million Chinese visitors in 2025, surpassing Thailand for the first time.https://macaonews.org/travel/vietnam-china-tourism-statistics-2025/
This shift is being felt most strongly in the hotel sector, where occupancy rates, room yields, and new property launches are accelerating across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. Meanwhile, many Thai hotels that were once heavily reliant on Chinese tour groups are reporting weaker demand, shorter stays, and growing pressure to discount.
Thailand’s decline is not simply about numbers. Chinese travelers are increasingly vocal about concerns over safety following repeated reports of kidnappings, extortion, scam networks targeting Chinese citizens, double pricing, and uneven law enforcement. These issues have damaged trust and altered destination choice behavior in a way that directly impacts hotel bookings and brand confidence.
It should also be noted that certain entities concerned with promoting Thailand have a sizeable number of arrogant but incompetent individuals and even corrupted ones and some who practice nepotism and favourism. They refused to engage or provide support to small Thai entities like ourselves that are trying to promote the local hospitality industry. We have heard of MOUs being signed with foreigners with strange backgrounds to promote discount coupons for travelers etc in Thailand but such opportunities are not being given to competent Thai companies! We have also heard of other strange collaborations and deals with huge budgets involved.
Safety Perceptions and Service Standards Matter
This Thailand Hotel News report notes that Chinese travelers increasingly associate Vietnam with predictability and security, while Thailand is viewed as risky and inconsistent. Hotels are often the first and most lasting impression of a destination, and Vietnam’s hospitality sector has capitalized on this reality.
Chinese guests frequently report that hotel staff in Vietnam are better trained, more attentive, and more comfortable communicating in English and Mandarin. In contrast, for Chinese travelers who speak English reasonably well, service standards at many Thai hotels and tourism facilities are described as frustrating, unprofessional, or outright hostile. Complaints range from dismissive attitudes and poor problem resolution to confusion over pricing and a lack of accountability.
Strangely most of the hotel GMs in Thailand are not addressing any of these problems or are just as incompetent as their rank and file, and hotel owners are either sleeping (maybe with the GMs or some of the hotel staff!) or are simply taking their banks and investors for a ride! The worse are the Thai-Indian hotel owners who have lots of properties around the Sukhumvit area. One Thai-Indian owner with about 8 or so properties has a gay bum from India who is leading an important department of the hotel group and not only is that fat Indian bum so lazy and incompetent, but he gets way with so many mistakes that outsiders can see and the hotel owner must be a real buffoon not to fire him unless of course…..! Another Thai-Punjabi owner has hired some arrogant but stupid Thai-Indian millennial egoists whose father had abandoned the family, to revamp things at the group (not sure if that guy is his future-son-in-law for his slut-like daughter!) but the smart-arsed guy has no clue what is brewing in many sectors including in the field of PR and digital marketing or even about food and beverage for that matter..it will be interesting to see how things pan up for that group!
Image Credit: Thailand Hotel News
Independent Travel Fuels Vietnam’s Hotel Boom
The rise of independent Chinese travel has strongly favored Vietnam. More than 70 percent of Chinese travelers under 40 now plan their own trips using mobile platforms, choosing boutique hotels, serviced apartments, and experience-driven resorts over rigid group-tour hotels. Vietnam’s accommodation sector has responded rapidly with modern design, transparent pricing, flexible check-in policies, and experience-focused amenities.
Vietnamese hotels are also perceived as offering better value. Room rates, dining, transport coordination, and concierge services are generally cheaper than Thailand while delivering higher consistency. This has strengthened repeat visitation and longer average stays, especially among younger and higher-spending Chinese guests.
Thailand’s Hotel Sector Faces a Reality Check
Thailand’s hotels are paying the price for reputational damage beyond their direct control. When travelers no longer feel safe outside the hotel or feel exploited in surrounding tourism ecosystems, even luxury properties struggle to retain loyalty. The perception that scams, double pricing, and targeted crime are tolerated has undermined confidence across the entire hospitality chain.
Vietnam, by contrast, is benefiting from coordinated tourism branding, visible security measures, and a hospitality workforce that appears motivated to win trust rather than rely on past glory.
Lessons From Vietnam’s Rapid Rise
Vietnam’s hotel success shows that modern tourism leadership depends on safety, service discipline, transparency, and adaptability. Hotels are no longer just places to sleep; they are trust anchors in unfamiliar destinations. Vietnam has understood this shift, while Thailand has been slow to respond.
Thailand’s hospitality sector still has the assets to recover, but only if systemic issues are addressed quickly and decisively. Without meaningful improvements in safety, service culture, and traveler respect, Chinese guests will continue to choose destinations where they feel valued rather than tolerated. The numbers now clearly show that Vietnam is setting the new benchmark, and the region is watching closely.
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