Thailand’s tourism sector continued to show resilience in the first half of 2026, with foreign visitors generating more than 700 billion baht in revenue. The government said international arrivals remained strong despite global economic pressures and rising travel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.
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Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploythale Laksameesangchan said that between 1 and 31 May 2026, Thailand welcomed 2.35 million foreign tourists. This represented growth of 3.54% compared with the same period last year. Tourism revenue for the month reached 108 billion baht, an increase of 12.77% year-on-year.
The five largest source markets in May were Malaysia, China, India, Russia and Singapore. The figures reflect continued demand for travel to Thailand from key regional and international markets.
From 1 January to 7 June 2026, foreign visitors generated cumulative tourism revenue of 701.358 billion baht. During the same period, Thailand recorded 14,515,978 international arrivals. The top five source markets were China with 2,386,714 visitors, followed by Malaysia with 1,839,151, India with 1,103,945, Russia with 964,670 and South Korea with 552,621.
The government noted that growing tensions in the Middle East have increased air travel and transport costs significantly. As a result, travellers are increasingly expected to reduce long-haul journeys and exercise greater control over spending.
Officials said that, alongside revenue from international tourism, the government is continuing to promote domestic and short-haul travel. The strategy focuses on destinations that are easy to reach while supporting changes in Thailand’s tourism industry to align with modern priorities, including sustainability, energy efficiency and experience-based travel.
The Nation reported that authorities expect foreign arrivals to increase slightly as several tourism markets return to normal travel patterns. The latest figures are being closely monitored as the government seeks to maintain momentum in the sector amid changing global travel conditions.
Picture courtesy of The Nation
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Adapted by ASEAN Now ThaiRath 12 June 2026