File picture for reference only

 

Thailand’s tourism industry is facing a significant downturn, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasting 33.4 million foreign arrivals this year. This represents a 6% year-on-year decline, largely driven by sharp contractions in Southeast and East Asian markets. The decline threatens to undermine recovery momentum in a sector vital to the country’s economy.

 

The TAT projects 2.62 million visitors in October, 3.07 million in November, and 3.63 million in December. Arrivals from East Asia are expected to shrink by 25%, with China identified as the biggest contributor to the shortfall. Southeast Asian visitors are forecast to fall by 8%, notably from Malaysia.

 

Rung Kanjanaviroj, executive director of planning at the TAT, said travellers from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea are declining, while Japanese numbers remain steady. She added that tourists may be choosing alternative destinations within the region. Vietnam, in particular, has surged ahead, recording nearly 14 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2025, up 21.7% year-on-year.

 

There are some positive trends, however. European arrivals are expected to rise by 15%, while visitors from South Asia, the Americas, and Oceania may each grow by 8% and Middle Eastern arrivals by 4%. Yet Ms Rung acknowledged that global economic conditions make it difficult to boost average spending per traveller, adding that safety concerns and the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia may also deter visitors.

 

Thailand faces stronger competition in 2026, especially from China and Vietnam. China is enhancing infrastructure for independent travellers, while Vietnam continues to invest in new man-made attractions at competitive prices. Both developments are seen as drawing visitors away from Thailand.

 

The strength of the baht is compounding the challenge. Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, noted that the baht’s appreciation to a four-year high against the US dollar is making the country less competitive. In contrast, Japan’s weak yen and Vietnam’s depreciating dong offer travellers more value for money.

 

Mr Kriengkrai stressed the need for Thailand to develop additional attractions and embrace sustainable tourism. He suggested that by tapping new markets, Thailand could eventually draw 70 million foreign visitors annually, with tourism contributing more than 20% of GDP.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Thailand expects 33.4 million foreign visitors in 2025, a 6% drop from last year.

• Declines from China and Southeast Asia drive the downturn, while Europe shows growth.

• Stronger regional competition and a strong baht pose ongoing challenges for Thai tourism.

 

Related Stories

 

Baht-surge-threatens-Thai-tourism-economy

 

Thai-hotels-brace-for-decline-in-Chinese-tourists

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Bangkokpost  2025-09-25

 

 

 

 

 

All really to do with value for money and the thai baht hopefully they might wake up one day

2 hours ago, ozz1 said:

All really to do with value for money and the thai baht hopefully they might wake up one day

True.But they want do anything about that.

On 9/25/2025 at 3:50 AM, Georgealbert said:

Thailand’s tourism industry is facing a significant downturn, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasting 33.4 million foreign arrivals this year. This represents a 6% year-on-year decline, largely driven by sharp contractions in Southeast and East Asian markets.

Other Asian markets seem to be picking up the slack... 

Thailand is slipping because all it has to offer is the sex trade.

On 9/25/2025 at 3:50 AM, Georgealbert said:

 

File picture for reference only

 

Thailand’s tourism industry is facing a significant downturn, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasting 33.4 million foreign arrivals this year. This represents a 6% year-on-year decline, largely driven by sharp contractions in Southeast and East Asian markets. The decline threatens to undermine recovery momentum in a sector vital to the country’s economy.

 

The TAT projects 2.62 million visitors in October, 3.07 million in November, and 3.63 million in December. Arrivals from East Asia are expected to shrink by 25%, with China identified as the biggest contributor to the shortfall. Southeast Asian visitors are forecast to fall by 8%, notably from Malaysia.

 

Rung Kanjanaviroj, executive director of planning at the TAT, said travellers from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea are declining, while Japanese numbers remain steady. She added that tourists may be choosing alternative destinations within the region. Vietnam, in particular, has surged ahead, recording nearly 14 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2025, up 21.7% year-on-year.

 

There are some positive trends, however. European arrivals are expected to rise by 15%, while visitors from South Asia, the Americas, and Oceania may each grow by 8% and Middle Eastern arrivals by 4%. Yet Ms Rung acknowledged that global economic conditions make it difficult to boost average spending per traveller, adding that safety concerns and the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia may also deter visitors.

 

Thailand faces stronger competition in 2026, especially from China and Vietnam. China is enhancing infrastructure for independent travellers, while Vietnam continues to invest in new man-made attractions at competitive prices. Both developments are seen as drawing visitors away from Thailand.

 

The strength of the baht is compounding the challenge. Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, noted that the baht’s appreciation to a four-year high against the US dollar is making the country less competitive. In contrast, Japan’s weak yen and Vietnam’s depreciating dong offer travellers more value for money.

 

Mr Kriengkrai stressed the need for Thailand to develop additional attractions and embrace sustainable tourism. He suggested that by tapping new markets, Thailand could eventually draw 70 million foreign visitors annually, with tourism contributing more than 20% of GDP.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Thailand expects 33.4 million foreign visitors in 2025, a 6% drop from last year.

• Declines from China and Southeast Asia drive the downturn, while Europe shows growth.

• Stronger regional competition and a strong baht pose ongoing challenges for Thai tourism.

 

Related Stories

 

Baht-surge-threatens-Thai-tourism-economy

 

Thai-hotels-brace-for-decline-in-Chinese-tourists

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Bangkokpost  2025-09-25

 

 

 

 

 

but rentals for pick up truk rentals has gone up 43 percent

10 minutes ago, portisaacozzy said:

He suggested that by tapping new markets, Thailand could eventually draw 70 million foreign visitors annually, with tourism contributing more than 20% of GDP.

 

if that ever happens it would be absolute chaos, every single location even remotely interesting would be destroyed. Everyone would be miserable including the tourists.

Only Thailand numbers have gone down. Who are they kidding. People are going where their money goes further and they feel appreciated as a tourist. 

"as asian markets weaken"....No. Thailand’s tourism market is weakening, with many , dare I say "quality" , tourists increasingly turning their backs on the country. Nearby destinations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia are reaping the benefits instead. Thailand, wake the F-up. Times are changing. Time for a general overhaul towards more quality.

On 9/25/2025 at 7:06 AM, ozz1 said:

All really to do with value for money and the thai baht hopefully they might wake up one day

So you want them to manipulate the baht down for tourists?

 

They might wake up one day?

 

On 9/25/2025 at 3:50 AM, Georgealbert said:

2.62 million visitors in October, 3.07 million in November, and 3.63 million in December

While it might be down slightly year on year they are huge numbers.

 

Sorry to see you are struggling.

 

While all the news reports say tourism in Thailand is plummeting, another story today in this same outlet says tourism in Pattaya is recovering.

 

Tehy already know what tourists are looking for in Thailand and what they need to do to help tourism recover across the country.  😉

They YET AGAIN miss/ignore the real story - because to do so would damage TAT and the Thai economy.

 

Not only are the tourist numbers down, but their value to the Thai economy is dramatically less than the numbers TAT use (based on 2019) to calculate the value of tourism in their reports.  In 2019 a large number of tourists came from China and 'wealthier' Western and Asian countries. Now the largest numbers are from Malaysia (lots of short stay border crossers) and India (cheap Charlies). Not only are the numbers down - the value per tourist is down too - but TAT as usual fabricates numbers towards meeting its own objectives (and what the Govt wants to hear). 

Hmmm, so where are those millions of tourists...?  Everyday I walk around and cannot find them.  Yes, we have a lot of Indians, but Farangs and Chinese are nowhere nea2 2019 numbers.

Farangs over 75 years of age @ soi Boukhao or Diana or Lenkee with 45+ y.o. GF's. Younger ones now buy drinkies from 7/11 & order company in-room. No exciting try B4 buy.🙃🙃

    So, still projecting around 33 million.  Not bad, all things considered.  Some positives with the European and Americas numbers up, along with some others.   

 

13 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

Hmmm, so where are those millions of tourists...?  Everyday I walk around and cannot find them.  Yes, we have a lot of Indians, but Farangs and Chinese are nowhere nea2 2019 numbers.

     Actually, British numbers will likely come close to 2019, which was a little less than 1 million.  For the first 6 months of this year, British arrivals are at 674,000.  Through the first 8 months, US tourist numbers for 2025 are at 692,000.  The US number for 2019 was 1.13 million.  With the remaining months still to be counted, US numbers will also likely come close to 2019.  

Up, down up down.  How many times are they going to ride this horse?  

Tourists or mainly those who live in Thailand few months each year say for retirement, tell their people back home on how life is or how their visit was.

 

With all the cheating, overcharging, visa hassles, some form of xenophobia gainst westerners, excessive bureaucracy , the overrated Thai Bhat, and prices soaring...it will soon cost the same to go to other sunny places like the Canary Islands (Spainish territory), south of Spain, Malta, Cyprus or to places in the Caribean like St-Domingue ... one would be surprised to see that the prices in these countries are often lower for many things now, in comparison to many popular tourist areas of Thailand.  

 

To play on the numbers, maybe tourist numbers can be up here and there. But the spending ratio is dropping for quite sometime. Tourists come but spend much less and thus not much money for Thailand. Same for the retirees staying over in winter,  who refrain from spending with all the overcharging in many popular beach towns. 

5 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Tourists or mainly those who live in Thailand few months each year say for retirement, tell their people back home on how life is or how their visit was.

 

With all the cheating, overcharging, visa hassles, some form of xenophobia gainst westerners, excessive bureaucracy , the overrated Thai Bhat, and prices soaring...it will soon cost the same to go to other sunny places like the Canary Islands (Spainish territory), south of Spain, Malta, Cyprus or to places in the Caribean like St-Domingue ... one would be surprised to see that the prices in these countries are often lower for many things now, in comparison to many popular tourist areas of Thailand.  

 

To play on the numbers, maybe tourist numbers can be up here and there. But the spending ratio is dropping for quite sometime. Tourists come but spend much less and thus not much money for Thailand. Same for the retirees staying over in winter,  who refrain from spending with all the overcharging in many popular beach towns. 

That reads like you don't live here, it's what you've heard........

They don't make it easy and funny for tourists at all.High prices.. taxiscams..and so on.

The country is full of criminals from other countries.Well..they asked for it.

I don't think they will ever get back the numbers they had before thanks to themselves.

You would get more tourists if you would stop dropping bombs on jungle peasants and piles of ancient rock and open up the borders.

Prices, exchange rate, double pricing, rip off taxis.

Better off in Marbella 

On 9/25/2025 at 7:06 AM, ozz1 said:

All really to do with value for money and the thai baht hopefully they might wake up one day

Affect the HiSos overseas investments if there was a weak Baht 

Flame post removed, discuss the topic, not other posters.

 

@harryviking Rule 9. You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages. You will respect other members and post in a civil manner. Personal attacks, insults or hate speech posted on the  forum or sent by private message are not allowed.

Driven by letting in criminals and badly behaved visitors on long term visas without proper background checks. They should go back to do 30 day visa on arrival. 

 

Chinese tourists especially are concerned about safety. 

 

It's good they're looking to remove marijuana which is causing some horrific behaviour and ruining the place for families - and attracting cheap trash visitors. 

21 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Thailand is slipping because all it has to offer is the sex trade.

 

Even though Thailand doesn't have any sex trade, Pattaya in this case, all the big honchos from RTP patrolling the streets, but couldn't spot any sex trade what so ever. Wonder if they got sacked after.

From a tourist perspective I'm struggling to think of any aspect of the holiday experience that may have improved in Thailand in the last decade.

 

In the main tourist centres as it has inevitably modernized it has lost a lot of its character/uniqueness.

 

Infrastructure maintenance and improvement doesn't seem to have kept pace with the strain of increased numbers due to corruption, greed and a lack of investment.

 

It is without doubt not the value for money destination it once was in isolation or when compared to its near neighbours.

 

What I used to consider a safe location full of tourists enjoying a trouble free holiday for some reason now attracts an element of unsociable behaviour and serious criminality amplified by social and online media. The authorities are too weak on tourist related crime in my opinion. Sleep off your drunk/drugged up anti-social behaviour or just pay some money to sort out a criminal incident. How about a highly visual zero tolerance campaign with serious consequences - the truth is the authorities don't really give a crap. Attractive more of the same is just going to have an even worse effect than it currently is having.

My wife went to the big Makro in Phuket yesterday evening about 7 pm the car park was half empty, 

39 minutes ago, kinyara said:

 

Infrastructure maintenance and improvement doesn't seem to have kept pace with the strain of increased numbers due to corruption, greed and a lack of investment.

 

 

Where I live they have ruined it, we have a lake where everyday many people would come to walk or jogging and there is some exercise equipment and slide for kids to play on, it looks like they intend to extend the walkway around the lake, now it's ground to a halt for the last 18 months nothing has been done, it's a mess, I'm told something like 66 million baht has gone up in smoke, maybe I'll go down there and takes some photo's, 

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Even though Thailand doesn't have any sex trade, Pattaya in this case, all the big honchos from RTP patrolling the streets, but couldn't spot any sex trade what so ever. Wonder if they got sacked after.

Promoted...

32 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Where I live they have ruined it, we have a lake where everyday many people would come to walk or jogging and there is some exercise equipment and slide for kids to play on, it looks like they intend to extend the walkway around the lake, now it's ground to a halt for the last 18 months nothing has been done, it's a mess, I'm told something like 66 million baht has gone up in smoke, maybe I'll go down there and takes some photo's, 

 

Probably a very good example. Imagine what could have been done with 66 million baht without negatively affecting an already attractive feature. 

 

I am seeing it now on Jomtien Beach Road  which is now the main focus of wastage and destruction after having rinsed Pattaya Beach Road for 100's of millions of baht over the years for next to zero obvious improvement. A criminal waste of public funds.