Bangkok
The Thai government has voiced satisfaction with the ongoing strength of international tourism, which has generated more than 701 billion baht in revenue from foreign visitors in the first five months and early June of 2026.
According to official figures, Thailand welcomed 2.35 million foreign tourists in May 2026, a 3.54 percent increase from the previous month. These visitors contributed more than 100 billion baht in revenue during the month. Top source markets for May were Malaysia, China, India, Russia, and Singapore.
From January 1 to June 7, 2026, the country recorded a cumulative 14,515,978 foreign tourist arrivals, generating 701,358 million baht (approximately 20.8–21 billion US dollars) in tourism revenue. The top five source markets during this period were China with 2,386,714 visitors, followed by Malaysia (1,839,151), India (1,103,945), Russia (964,670), and South Korea (552,621).
Deputy Government Spokesperson Ms Ploythale added that arrivals are expected to see a modest increase in the coming week as several key markets return to normal seasonal travel patterns.
This performance comes against a backdrop of softer overall demand compared with the previous year. In the first five months of 2026, Thailand saw a decline of about 2.3 percent year-on-year. Revenue for the same period stood also slightly lower than the corresponding period in 2025. The full-year 2025 figures closed with 32.97 million international arrivals (down 7.23 percent from 2024) and roughly 1.53 trillion baht in foreign tourism revenue (down 4.7 percent).
The government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have set ambitious targets for 2026 despite these headwinds. Initial goals include attracting between 33 million and 36.7 million foreign visitors for the full year, with total tourism revenue (including domestic travel) targeted at around 2.78–3 trillion baht. Some forecasts from the Ministry of Finance and private analysts project a more cautious range of 30–34 million foreign arrivals, citing ongoing challenges such as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, higher fuel prices, and slower recovery in certain long-haul markets, particularly from China.
Tourism remains a critical pillar of the Thai economy, traditionally contributing around 12 percent of GDP. Officials continue to promote Thailand through targeted campaigns focusing on quality tourism, longer stays, and higher spending per visitor, while monitoring external factors that could influence recovery. The government remains optimistic that seasonal rebounds and marketing efforts will support steady growth through the remainder of 2026.
