On November 13, 2025, King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida of Thailand arrived in Beijing for a five-day state visit. This is the first visit by a Thai monarch to China in the 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and also the highest-level royal diplomatic event held by a Southeast Asian country since the pandemic. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism predicts that this visit will boost inbound tourism to Thailand by 35% in 2025, and the number of two-way tourist trips between China and Thailand is expected to exceed 10 million, setting a new record.
Palace Museum and Great Wall Itinerary Highlights Cultural Resonance
During their stay in Beijing, the Thai royal couple's cultural tour became a focal point. On the morning of November 14, the King and his entourage visited the "Enduring Thai-Chinese Friendship" special exhibition held at the Palace Museum specifically for this visit. Exhibits included precious cultural relics such as ivory carvings gifted to the Qing Dynasty by the Thai royal family in the 18th century and Buddhist scriptures exchanged between monks of the two countries. Wang Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum, introduced the digital restoration results of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" to the King, and the two sides jointly launched the "Sino-Thai Cultural Relics Protection Cooperation Plan."
The Thai King's Visit to the Forbidden City
The following day, the Thai King and Queen visited the Badaling Great Wall, gazing at the mountains from a watchtower. Photos released by the Royal Household Bureau show the King in a dark suit and the Queen in a sky-blue suit with pearl accessories. The couple posed for a photo in front of the "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true hero" monument. Data from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage shows that in 2024, Thai tourists accounted for 12% of international visitors to the Great Wall, second only to South Korea and the United States.
The Deep Foundation of Sino-Thai Cultural and Tourism Cooperation
This visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. Cultural and tourism cooperation between the two countries has formed a multi-dimensional support system. According to Zhang Weili, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, the two sides have established 34 pairs of sister city relationships, opened 52 direct flight routes, and exchanged more than 80,000 students in 2024. Data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand shows that China has been Thailand's largest source of tourists for eight consecutive years, with 3.8 million tourists visiting Thailand in the first 10 months of this year, recovering to 120% of the 2019 level. Regarding cooperation mechanisms, China and Thailand have implemented a "Tourism + Education" program since 2019, with the Thai Ministry of Education including Chinese as a compulsory foreign language in the national education system. Bangkok Dynasty University of Technology has even established a "Chinese Tourism Management" major, with the first batch of 50 graduates all entering Chinese cultural and tourism enterprises. This talent cultivation model provides sustainable intellectual support for tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The launch of the Year of Culture and Tourism opens a new chapter of cooperation. During the visit, China and Thailand jointly announced 2026 as the "China-Thailand Year of Culture and Tourism," launching three major initiatives: First, reciprocal "National Cultural Weeks," the establishment of a "Chinese Theme Park" in Bangkok, and the construction of a "Thailand Cultural Garden" at the Beijing Expo Park; second, upgraded visa facilitation measures, with Thailand implementing a free visa-on-arrival policy for Chinese citizens, and China including Thailand in its list of countries eligible for 72-hour visa-free transit; third, joint development of cross-border routes for the "Belt and Road Cultural Heritage Tour," connecting world heritage sites such as Chiang Mai Old City, Angkor Wat, and the Terracotta Army in Xi'an.
Trends in Mutual Visits Between China and Thailand: According to the latest data from the National Immigration Administration, from January to October 2025, the number of people entering and leaving China and Thailand through border crossings reached 18.6 million, a year-on-year increase of 42%. With the implementation of various measures for the "China-Thailand Year of Culture and Tourism," industry insiders predict that tourism revenue between the two countries will exceed US$20 billion in 2026, driving revenue growth of over 50 billion yuan in related industries such as catering, retail, and aviation.
This visit by the Thai King to China is like a golden key, not only opening a new door to cultural exchanges between China and Thailand but also elevating tourism cooperation between the two countries to a strategic level. As the red walls of the Forbidden City and the golden roofs of Bangkok complement each other in the new era, the traditional friendship of "one family" between China and Thailand is being revitalized through the integration of culture and tourism.