British media said the search and rescue work is still underway after a boat carrying Chinese tourists capsized in the waters off the Thai island of Phuket on July 5, leaving many dead and missing. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand said it has made representations to the Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, asking the Thai side to race against time and do its best in search and rescue.

According to a July 9 report by British media, Thailand has been one of the most popular outbound countries for Chinese tourists in recent years. According to the 2017 China Outbound Tourism Big Data Report jointly released by the China Tourism Research Institute and Ctrip, 9.8 million Chinese traveled to Thailand last year, accounting for 28% of the number of global tourists received in Thailand, and Bangkok is the most favored foreign city for Chinese tourists. However, Thailand's tourism safety hazards should not be underestimated, with frequent local land transportation and water accidents, especially in areas with more tourists during the rainy season.

According to the Global Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 released by the World Economic Forum, Thailand ranked only 118th out of 136 countries and regions in terms of safety. The 2018 edition of the Safe Travel Handbook for Chinese Citizens to Southern Thailand, released by the Chinese Consulate General in Songkhla, shows that Chinese tourists have been involved in frequent traffic and drowning accidents in Southern Thailand, which refers to the 14 provinces south of Thailand's Chumphon Province, including the tourist destinations of Phuket, Koh Samui and Phang Nga Bay.

The Chinese Consulate General in Songkhla advises tourists to be cautious about renting and driving motorcycles and cars, to choose travel agencies and boat companies with formal operations, to pay more attention to the weather before going out to sea, and to wear life jackets throughout the water-related projects.