In 2025 Thailand welcomed 32.97 million foreign tourists, 7.2% fewer than a year earlier, mainly because the Chinese market collapsed. Revenue from foreigners fell by 4.7% to 1.54 trillion baht, while domestic tourism grew and almost made up for the drop: tourism as a whole brought in 2.7 trillion baht, 1.3% less than in 2024. In 2026 arrivals are slightly below 2025 and the decline is deepening: from 1 January to 31 October, 25.46 million foreigners arrived (−4.6%). China is back in first place and Russia is fourth.
The 2025 results
The figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MOTS), published in the first days of January, are preliminary. Over the year 32,974,321 foreigners entered Thailand. The top ten source countries were:
- Malaysia — 4.52 million;
- China — 4.47 million (−33.6%);
- India — 2.49 million (+16.8%);
- Russia — 1.9 million (+8.8%);
- South Korea — 1.56 million;
- Japan — 1.09 million;
- United Kingdom — 1.08 million;
- United States — 1.08 million;
- Taiwan — 0.99 million;
- Singapore — 0.97 million.
In terms of money, the picture is different. China stayed first with 249.9 billion baht, and Russia came second: 114 billion baht, 9.8% more than in 2024. On average each Russian tourist brought the country about 60,000 baht, three times as much as a Malaysian one, so although Russia is fourth by number of trips, it is the second most important market for the economy. India, Russia and the United Kingdom set all-time records for the number of trips.
Official statistics don’t explain why China fell. The media named several reasons: the case of a Chinese actor abducted to a scam centre in Myanmar and fears over safety, the earthquake in March 2025, the border conflict with Cambodia and the strong baht.
Domestic tourism
Thais made 202.4 million trips around the country, 2.7% more than in 2024, and spent 1.17 trillion baht (+3.7%). Revenue from foreigners fell by about 76 billion baht and domestic revenue rose by 42 billion, which is why the industry’s overall total, 2.7 trillion baht, ended up only 1.3% below the previous year.
2026: what is happening
From 1 January to 31 October 2026, 25.46 million foreigners came to Thailand, 4.6% fewer than in the same period of 2025. They brought in about 1.24 trillion baht.
The main change is China’s return. As of 24 October it was first again with 4.19 million visitors, followed by Malaysia (3.16 million), India (1.88 million), Russia (1.36 million) and South Korea (0.91 million). In January–August Chinese arrivals were up 16% on a year earlier. This is partly a low-base effect and partly tourists switching from Japan amid the China–Japan conflict. Over the same eight months Malaysia fell by 11.9% and Russia by 0.6%: the growth in Russian arrivals seen in 2023–2025 has stopped, but there is no collapse either. South Korea fell the most, by a quarter.
The forecasts for the year changed several times. At the start of the year the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) set a target of 36.7 million tourists; in spring the Ministry of Tourism and Sports cut its forecast because of the conflict in the Middle East and rising oil prices and airfares. In September TAT set a target of 33 million tourists and 2.7 trillion baht in revenue, with a base case of 32.6–32.7 million, roughly the 2025 level. A survey of hoteliers is more cautious: half expect fewer than 32 million, and bookings for Q4 are below last year’s, especially from Chinese travellers.
What has changed for entry
- Visa exemption. From 15 September 2026, Thailand scrapped the 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries. Russians enter for 30 days under a 2005 bilateral agreement, extendable by another 30. Details are in the article on the 30-day visa exemption (in Russian).
- Entry fee. In August the tourism committee approved in principle a 450-baht fee that includes accident insurance. It has not been introduced yet: public hearings are under way, and collection is planned to start in Q1 2027, with air passengers first.
- The TDAC electronic arrival card has been mandatory since May 2025, and since August 2026 it can also be submitted through the THIM immigration app.
Pattaya
The ministry does not publish annual statistics for Pattaya in text form. According to surveys by the hotel association and the Bank of Thailand, hotel occupancy in Chonburi province, home to Pattaya, was 65% in April 2026 and 61% in August, against 64% nationwide. The low season was hard: in May Pattaya hotels expected 30–40% occupancy instead of the usual 60–70% and asked the government for subsidies. For the high season, the city is counting partly on Tomorrowland in December.
How to read these numbers
The number of arrivals is not the number of unique people, and it doesn’t show how many days they spent in the country: someone who did two visa runs in a year is counted twice. Domestic “trips” include day trips without an overnight stay. For business, what matters more is seasonality, average spend, the split by region and the share of repeat trips: these are what show the real load on the market.
The bottom line
2025 was a year of decline for Thai tourism, but not a collapse: the country was carried by India, Russia, Europeans and the Thais themselves. 2026 is running slightly lower, and the decline is deepening: China is coming back, but the other markets are slipping. For Pattaya this means betting on the high season and major events; for tourists, fewer visa-free days and, further ahead, a new entry fee.
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