File photo for reference only

 

Thailand's tourism sector is witnessing a remarkable recovery, with foreign tourist arrivals surpassing 22 million for the year, generating over 1 trillion baht in revenue. From January 1st to September 7th, 2025, the country welcomed 22,387,817 visitors, as reported by Natreeya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The influx of tourists, primarily from China, Malaysia, India, Russia, and South Korea, marks a significant boost to Thailand’s economy.

 

In just the past week, 508,341 foreign tourists arrived, marking a 0.44% increase from the previous week, averaging 72,620 visitors daily. Singapore saw the most substantial rise in tourist numbers with a 47.27% increase, driven by school holidays in the country. India also showed substantial growth with a 29.89% increase, thanks in part to national holidays.

 

Conversely, tourist arrivals from Malaysia, South Korea, and China declined, with decreases of 14.87%, 6.04%, and 4.66%, respectively. Despite these drops, overall numbers remain high, contributing significantly to the sector's recovery. The "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025" initiative, along with long holidays in Malaysia, are expected to further boost tourist numbers in the coming weeks.

 

Looking ahead, Natreeya anticipates increased tourist arrivals due to the government's ongoing "Ease of Travelling" measures. These initiatives include waiving the TM.6 immigration form and encouraging airlines to expand flight schedules. Such strategies are set to draw more visitors, enhancing Thailand's position as a top tourist destination.

 

Key Takeaways:

• Thailand's tourism has surpassed 22 million visitors in 2025, generating over 1 trillion baht.
• Significant rises in visitors were noted from Singapore and India due to holiday periods.
• Government measures are actively enhancing travel ease, promising continued growth.

 

Related Stories:

Tourism in Thailand Faces Challenges with Visitor Decline

Tourism Operators Urge Cash Coupon Plan for Foreign Visitors

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-09-11

 

 

44 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

These initiatives include waiving the TM.6 immigration form and encouraging airlines to expand flight schedules. Such strategies are set to draw more visitors,...

How exactly does waiving the TM.6 draw more visitors?

12 hours ago, Peabody said:

How exactly does waiving the TM.6 draw more visitors?

The same way the "tourist" numbers are dreamt up     😎

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

From January 1st to September 7th, 2025, the country welcomed 22,387,817 visitors,

So what was the number this time last year - anybody know?

You would think that would be the most obvious comparison but I guess it depends on the narrative you are trying to project.

Amazing how one week visitors are in decline and yearly totals are showing negative % compared to previous years yet, a week later there is always news about how good tourism is? 

I wonder why the upper echelons in the Government tolerate such nonsense with their departments. Surely, they can remember the news told previously about decline not to be fooled by such nonsense as this OP. 

13 hours ago, Peabody said:

How exactly does waiving the TM.6 draw more visitors?

Exactly not by requesting this TDAC. There are still people who are not tech savvy and hanging on the internet.

Boom or bust?

 

This OP contradicts most other reports, which suggest about a 7% decline in numbers year-on-year.

 

Maybe the source of the OP has become part of the government's propaganda department.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's tourism sector is witnessing a remarkable recovery, with foreign tourist arrivals surpassing 22 million for the year, generating over 1 trillion baht in revenue. From January 1st to September 7th, 2025, the country welcomed 22,387,817 visitors, as reported by Natreeya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The influx of tourists, primarily from China, Malaysia, India, Russia, and South Korea, marks a significant boost to Thailand’s economy.

And tomorrow it will be Thai tourism plunges.

Day 306 of the flip flop tourist numbers 🙄

14 hours ago, Peabody said:

How exactly does waiving the TM.6 draw more visitors?

Yes that, and opening the restaurant booze ban (which most could careless)

should motivate millions to flock here.

Stupid.

The population of Hat Yai doubles every weekend as Malay males cross into Thailand shopping for oats.

Here we go again.  Could they please shut up about numbers and actually do something to attract tourists like clean bathing water and less litter everywhere. 

This reminds me of the Grand old Duke of York  "when they were they were up and when they were down they were down and when they were only half way up they were neither up nor down."

We are forgetting  Thailand is now a tourist hub so how manny tourist were just passing through?

Not waiving TM.6 form. It is changed TDAC. same idea, but other way. And numbers are higher now and in a few days we will read that numbers are down again.

Wondering what excellent weed those boys making up those galactic numbers ........ the average tourist spends 45,400 Baht - if you take a trillion by 22 million. Given the "tourism" along the Lao-Thai border, day trips doing some shopping for a few thousand Baht; the Malays jumping across for a weekend of fun in Had Yai ........

I rest my case; such smokescreens serve to bolster the non-justified self-confidence over everything non-Thai which, understandable, shows heavy wear-and-tear 😞 

Boom?? Thats far below "normal"!!🙄😫

Next week they will report the worst year on record followed a week later by a 10 year record

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

include waiving the TM.6 immigration form

 

But you still have to complete the TDAC form 3 days prior to arrival or on arrival (at the moment), so what is different?

7 hours ago, mikebell said:

The population of Hat Yai doubles every weekend as Malay males cross into Thailand shopping for oats.

 

 

I was in Hat Yai and literally could not believe the sheer volume of Malaysians crossing the borders. The massage shops were doing roaring trade - literally 50/60 people in each shop. Every shop packed. 

 

Massages are half the price than in Malayasia. 

 Don’t forget the lifting of the alcohol band in restaurants. I ran to my travel agent as soon as I heard that.  

THey're important many cheap tourists - alot from India. Alot of the cheap Benidorm European tourists.  You will find spend is down. 

 

They are on course for very high numbers. 

 

It's the same every year. Record peak season numbers, very low numbers doing the low rainy season - that's when you get the doom stories and authorities demanding gravy money for various iniativies to boost tourism. 

 

It's the same every year. The sheer waste of giving free domestic tourists this year was an utter disgrace when you consider the money could have been towards education, health, infrustructure spend etc 

2 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

I was in Hat Yai and literally could not believe the sheer volume of Malaysians crossing the borders. The massage shops were doing roaring trade - literally 50/60 people in each shop. Every shop packed. 

 

Massages are half the price than in Malayasia. 

Yeah lots there. Buses go to Songkhla.

3 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Yeah lots there. Buses go to Songkhla.

 

 

It's a shame the town is pretty dull. 

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's tourism sector is witnessing a remarkable recovery

 

Recovery from what exactly? 

29 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It's a shame the town is pretty dull. 

Most towns are.

41 minutes ago, Suetape said:

 Don’t forget the lifting of the alcohol band in restaurants. I ran to my travel agent as soon as I heard that.  

 

When the only beer that is flowing is the bitter sting of tears.

 

Do they know its Christmas time at all? 

In the recent past wasn't Thailand's total foreign arrival number close to 40 Mil? Now it is the middle of September and they just passsed 22 Mil.  So 40 Mil is still possible by Dec 31? My guess is LOS will be lucky to pass 30 mil by December 31. 

11 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

In the recent past wasn't Thailand's total foreign arrival number close to 40 Mil? Now it is the middle of September and they just passsed 22 Mil.  So 40 Mil is still possible by Dec 31? My guess is LOS will be lucky to pass 30 mil by December 31. 

 

 

Numbers increase massively in November and December. 

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

Numbers increase massively in November and December. 

Still a very steep hill to climb to hit 40 Mil by the end of the year. From 22 Mil to 40 Mil in under 3 months but of course TIT and numbers are fluid. 

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Still a very steep hill to climb to hit 40 Mil by the end of the year. From 22 Mil to 40 Mil in under 3 months but of course TIT and numbers are fluid. 

      You are correct that 'the numbers are fluid'.   And, that is normal.  Numbers projections are usually 'fluid'.  TAT starts the year with a projection for the year, based on a number of factors.  As the year progresses, the projected number is adjusted, as actual data comes in.   Although some posters seem to live to read about these adjustments--crowing with glee when TAT changes a projection--it's all normal.

     You are also correct that it is highly unlikely that Thailand will hit 40 million.  I think TAT's highest projection at the beginning of the year was 39 million.  As the year has progressed with actual numbers, the projection has been adjusted downward, to around 33 million.  

     TAT based it's beginning of the year projection of 39 million tourists largely on the results of 2024's 35.5 million tourists.  The big factor, of course, was the steep decline in Chinese tourists.  The war with Cambodia has also hurt the numbers, and it began after the early 2025 projections were made.  Despite all the sturm und drang, I continue to maintain that a figure of 33 million tourists is plenty, and double what Thailand was getting in 2010, when I arrived and thought there were lots of tourists around.