Thai tourists must be wary of cheap package tours due to the risk of being cheated by illegal travel agents, the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) and Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) said.
Over 1,500 Thai tourists were left stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday night after they bought tours to Japan from direct sales company WealthEver.
They paid between 9,700-20,000 baht for a trip to Osaka but airline staff informed them that the charter flight mentioned in the tour programme did not exist.
Peak-season flights to Japan usually cost around 20,000 baht, with full package tours going for upwards of 50,000 baht, officials said.
TTAA president Suparerk Soorangura said people seeking cheap tour packages should run a basic background check on the travel company and compare prices with other vendors to avoid being duped.
He also urged the Tourism Department and the Tourism and Sports Ministry to take action against illegal tour operators and verify the accountability of the other travel agents.
Mr Suparerk said the association first learned of the WealthEver case after Cathay Pacific Airlines reported it to the police on March 29.
"I informed all our members as soon as possible but [it all happened] too quickly," he said.
Adith Chairattananon, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said unscrupulous travel agents put the tourism sector at risk.
The Tourism Department needs stronger controls on tour agents, critics say.
This extends to ads on social media, Mr Adith said.