Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country.

Does Thailand celebrate the Lunar New Year? Find out how the SEA country catches the festivity of Chinese New Year with vibrant festivals.

Thailand's consumer spending over the Lunar New Year period could rise 4.5% to a five-year high of 52 billion baht ($1.54 billion), helped by government stimulus measures and higher income, a survey showed on Friday.

Lunar New Year tourists are flocking to Thailand. The holidaymakers, many from China, are expected to boost tourism, which has been struggling to recover from the pandemic.

Chinese tourists visiting Thailand for Lunar New Year are worried about being kidnapped by gangsters to work in hellish scam centers, despite efforts to reassure them.

For many, the Lunar New Year is a time to reflect on people they have lost. But it's also a time to set intentions and welcome the new energy of the future.

People gathered to watch an underwater dragon dance performance at an aquarium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday (1/16). Four divers performed surrounded by fish as a part of early annual Lunar New Year celebrations to welcome in the Year of the Snake on January 29th.

Food is also symbolic for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. In the North, Banh Chung, a sticky rice cake with banana leaves, is typically the most popular dish. In Central Vietnam, the savory Bánh Tét cake with rice and green beans is often used to celebrate the new year. Thịt Kho Tàu – a pork and egg dish – is very popular in South Vietnam.

Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. It begins with the first new moon and ends with the Lantern Festival on the next full moon, 15 days later. The Chinese zodiac operates on a 12-year cycle of animals. 2025 marks the Year of the Snake.

People in Bangkok, Thailand, gathered at the Leng Noei Yi temple, also known as the Dragon Lotus Temple, on Tuesday to celebrate the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The Chinese Lunar New Year also called the Spring Festival,

Worried for their safety, China’s outbound tourists have pulled back on Thailand travel plans, opting for Japan and Malaysia as alternatives.