Tourists enjoy a view at the Mahanakhon Skywalk rooftop in Bangkok, Thailand, May 15, 2025. Photo by Reuters
Thailand, the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, received 5.9 million foreign visitors between Jan. 1 and Feb. 22, with Chinese arrivals accounting for 16% of the total.
The top five source markets were China with 969,505 visitors, followed by Malaysia with 573,323, Russia with 457,250, India with 376,738 and South Korea with 283,623, deputy government spokeswoman Aiyarin Phanrit said as quoted by Bangkok Post.
More than 30,000 Chinese visitors have arrived in Thailand each day since the start of January, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
Thailand has reclaimed its spot as the top Lunar New Year destination for Chinese tourists in 2026, with as tourists shied away from Japan, which saw a 50% drop in Chinese visitors.
Recent geopolitical tensions between China and Japan have reshaped regional travel flows, with Beijing issuing a warning urging its citizens to avoid travel to Japan, citing “severe” safety risks, Bloomberg reported.
Despite early signs of a rebound in Chinese arrivals during the first two months, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is downplaying expectations for a strong recovery, preferring to wait until May to assess whether demand has stabilized, according to Bangkok Post.
For 2026, Thailand aims to attract no fewer than 35 million foreign visitors, with the possibility of reaching 36.7 million.
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