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Thai PM Uses AI Video to Attract Chinese Tourists Amid Scare

Thai PM Uses AI Video to Attract Chinese Tourists Amid Scare

On Wednesday, Thailand released an AI-generated video featuring Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaking Mandarin to encourage Chinese tourists to visit the country, despite concerns arising from reports of kidnappings along the Thai-Myanmar border.

In the clip posted on the government’s Facebook page, an AI likeness of Paetongtarn speaks fluently in Mandarin, a language she does not speak in reality. “I understand that recent reports of Chinese nationals being lured to scam compounds near Thailand’s borders have raised concerns among tourists… The safety of all visitors is the top priority for the Thai government,” the AI-generated prime minister stated.

Thailand is making efforts to ease safety worries among potential Chinese tourists ahead of the Lunar New Year travel period, as fears have intensified due to reports of kidnappings at the Thai-Myanmar border. Scam operations have proliferated in Myanmar’s border regions, employing trafficked foreigners who are forced to swindle fellow citizens in a highly lucrative industry.

Concerns were heightened earlier this month following allegations that a few rising Chinese celebrities were trafficked into cyber-fraud centers in Myanmar from Thailand, prompting a wave of alarm on Chinese social media, where users labeled Thailand a “dangerous” destination.

In the video, the AI portrayal of the Prime Minister underscored that the Thai government was enhancing safety measures and combating transnational crime.

Notably, the AI-generated depiction had some peculiarities, such as occasionally distorted hands, and it emphasized at the beginning that the visual was created using artificial intelligence.

China remains the largest source of tourists to Thailand, with nearly one-sixth of the 1.3 million arrivals in the first two weeks of January. The Thai government anticipates a 7% increase in Chinese tourists during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, which could contribute an additional 8.8 billion baht (approximately $255 million) to the national economy.

Credit: VN Express

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