Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand fell 11.6% year-on-year between 1 and 22 August, making India the only one of the country's four main overseas markets to record a decline during the period. The Bank of Thailand said the drop followed proposed revisions to visa-exemption rules affecting foreign visitors, including Indian nationals. The decline was nevertheless an improvement on the 20.2% contraction recorded in July. Speaking at a briefing on July economic and monetary conditions on Monday 31 August 2026, Pranee Sutthasri, senior director of the central bank's macroeconomic department, said officials would continue monitoring arrivals from India. Proposed visa rules changes approved in July In July, the cabinet decided to halve the visa-free stay for tourists, removing many countries from the scheme while approving new privileges for other nationalities, including Indian tourists. Under the new arrangement, the 30-day visa exemption applies to visitors from 60 countries and comes into effect on 15 September 2026. India was added to the amended list in July. The changes matter to Indian travellers planning short breaks, family holidays or repeat visits to Thailand, as visa eligibility and permitted stay periods can directly affect travel arrangements. India was Thailand's third-largest international source market in 2025, accounting for 7.5% of arrivals. China ranked first with 33.6%, followed by Europe at 12.4%, while the Middle East ranked fourth at 7.3%, according to the Bank of Thailand. Other key markets improve China arrivals rose 23.5% during 1-22 August, while visitors from Europe and the Middle East increased by 1.2% and 18.6% respectively. Overall foreign arrivals declined 0.3% year-on-year, a marked improvement from the 2.5% fall recorded in July. After seasonal adjustment, foreign tourist arrivals rose from 2.1 million in June to 2.5 million in July, led by long-haul markets including Europe, the Middle East and China. The improvement was supported by a gradual recovery in flight capacity following easing tensions in the Middle East, alongside stronger demand during school summer holidays in many countries. Recovery in short-haul arrivals, excluding China, remained gradual. Tourism receipts increased by 2.7% in July after seasonal adjustment. However, spending per trip fell, reflecting a slightly shorter average length of stay as travel patterns normalised after the easing of the Middle East conflict, the regulator said. Mrs Pranee said the pace of tourism recovery would partly depend on flight capacity, which remains constrained. Competition among regional tourism markets also remains intense and will affect Thailand's travel sector, she said. Join the discussion? 3 September 2026
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