On May 30, during the third day of the 2026 budget bill deliberation in the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker Pharadorn Prisananantakul presided over the session. At 6:00 p.m., Tourism and Sports Minister Svang Thiengthong addressed budget concerns related to his ministry.
Svang acknowledged the criticisms and reassured that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is prioritizing tourism through integrated collaboration with other ministries—including Transport, Interior, Public Health, and Digital Economy. He emphasized that tourism development is a national effort.
He responded to MP Natthaphon’s critique that Thai tourism is "failing miserably," especially amid concerns about redirecting funds to "soft power" projects. Svang admitted that Chinese and Asian tourist arrivals have dropped significantly. However, global tourist numbers are down only 2%, and arrivals from regions like Europe and the Middle East have increased—British tourists by 20%, Italians by 22%, with higher per-visitor spending.
Svang stressed that while the ministry set high targets, uncontrollable factors like the Chinese New Year timing and an earthquake earlier this year impacted results. He clarified that the advertising budget is necessary to counteract negative perceptions—especially when misleading headlines damage Thailand’s image.
“You can criticize the government and me, but don’t discredit the country,” Svang pleaded, responding to negative remarks about “gray Chinese” and “gray Russians.” He said such comments, especially from MPs representing tourist cities, deeply saddened him.
He added that while Thailand tries to counter misinformation, once headlines go viral, they overshadow any public relations efforts. Still, every baht is aimed at benefiting citizens, and maintaining the nation’s image is crucial.
In response, MP Natthaphon clarified he wasn't discrediting Thailand, but pointed out that real issues must be addressed, not merely countered with PR. He argued that one negative incident, even if isolated, spreads quickly on social media and affects perception more than any ten positive stories.
“We must accept that advertising alone can’t compete with real-world problems that go viral. If we don't fix the core issues, tourism will remain stagnant. Let’s reduce the PR budget and solve problems at their root—that will lead to sustainable success,” Natthaphon concluded.