Thailand, one of the leaders of tourism in Southeast Asia, saw its 2026 tourism revenue reach almost $30 billion as of August 22 and it has also attracted over twenty million foreign tourists along the way, according to a report by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-most visited country after Malaysia, recorded tourism revenue of 984.32 billion baht (US$29.8 billion) between Jan. 1 and Aug. 22, down 2.9% year-on-year, amid a slowdown in tourist arrivals.
The top five sources of tourists contributing to this revenue were China, Malaysia, India, Russia, and South Korea, Nation Thailand reported.
The tourism-dependent country welcomed 20.32 million international visitors during the period, down 2.96% from the same period last year.
Once a tourism powerhouse in Southeast Asia, Thailand has faced a slowdown in foreign arrivals since last year amid growing concerns over kidnapping and visitor safety.
Safety concerns have intensified following the deaths of two Russian tourists and three members of a Thai family in Chon Buri Province earlier this month, Bangkok Post reported.
The recent kidnapping of a Chinese tourist, who managed to escape before being taken across the border into Myanmar, has renewed concerns over the safety of foreign visitors.
The Thai government has cut its forecast for Chinese arrivals in 2026 from 9 million to 7 million.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Thailand’s tourism can somehow attract more foreign tourists and at least match their 2025 numbers? Do you consider Thailand a very safe place for foreigners? If you have visited Thailand before, did you get good value in return on your spending there?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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