Thailand has welcomed 4.8 million foreign tourists since the beginning of this year, an increase of 17.1% from the same period last year, with China ranking first.
Based on data up to Feb 9, the 4.8 million foreign arrivals generated 235 billion baht in revenue, Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said on Wednesday.
Chinese tourists topped the list with 825,617 visitors, followed by Malaysia with 617,631, Russia with 330,628, South Korea with 263,572, and India with 232,828.
Between Feb 3 and 9, long-haul markets saw a 4.15% increase in arrivals, driven by a surge in Russian and French tourists. Arrivals from these two countries rose by 41.5%, boosted by market promotion efforts, additional flights, and school holidays.
However, short-haul markets slowed after the Chinese New Year celebrations, with South Korean arrivals declining due to domestic concerns such as aviation accidents, political issues and currency fluctuations.
As a result, the total number of foreign arrivals during the first week of this month stood at 837,407 — an 11.6% decrease compared to the previous week. Average daily arrivals were 119,630.
From Monday to this Sunday, foreign arrivals are expected to remain stable, supported by government promotional efforts, including the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025” campaign and other tourism and sports-related events, Mr Sorawong said.
The government is stepping up safety measures to restore trust among Chinese tourists who have been concerned about trafficking of Chinese nationals from Thailand to scam centres in Myanmar.
