Thailand Breaks 30 Million Foreign Tourist Mark Despite Yearly Dip
Short-haul arrivals, driven by Malaysian visitors recovering from recent floods, propel weekly figures, generating over 1.4 trillion baht revenue
- As of early December 2025, Thailand surpassed 30.2 million foreign tourist arrivals, generating over 1.4 trillion baht in revenue.
- Despite reaching this milestone, the total number of visitors represents a 7.19% decrease compared to the same period in the previous year.
- The top five source markets for tourists in 2025 were led by Malaysia and China, each contributing over 4 million arrivals.
- A recent weekly surge in visitors was driven by a strong recovery in the Malaysian market after recent floods subsided.
Short-haul arrivals, driven by Malaysian visitors recovering from recent floods, propel weekly figures, generating over 1.4 trillion baht in revenue.
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports today confirmed that foreign tourist arrivals have surpassed the 30 million mark for 2025.
As of 7th December 2025, Thailand welcomed a total of 30,273,872 foreign visitors. Despite this high volume, the cumulative figure represents a 7.19% decrease compared to the same period the previous year.
These tourists have collectively generated an estimated revenue of 1,405,480 million baht from spending.
Natthriya Thaweevong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, confirmed the preliminary assessment, noting the significant financial contribution made by the visitors.
The top five source markets for tourist arrivals between 1st January and 7th December 2025 were:
- 1st: Malaysia (4,234,976 arrivals)
- 2nd: China (4,184,791 arrivals)
- 3rd: India (2,280,823 arrivals)
- 4th: Russia (1,685,931 arrivals)
- 5th: South Korea (1,438,827 arrivals)
Analysis of the last week (1st–7th December 2025) shows significant market recovery, particularly among short-haul travellers, with arrivals rising by 8.10% week-on-week.
This resulted in a total of 669,991 foreign tourists for the week, an increase of 5.47% from the preceding week, averaging 95,713 arrivals per day.
The surge was largely attributed to the start of the December holiday season and a major recovery in the Malaysian market, which saw a 27.74% jump week-on-week, following the abatement of recent floods in ten southern Thai provinces.
Weekly Arrivals (Top 5: Dec 1–7, 2025) The top five nationalities arriving during this single week saw strong increases:
- China: 83,046 arrivals (up 4.13%)
- India: 59,732 arrivals (up 6.59%)
- Malaysia: 56,291 arrivals (up 27.74%)
- Russia: 53,307 arrivals (up 2.55%)
- South Korea: 34,161 arrivals (up 7.11%)
The Ministry projects continued growth in the coming week, driven by the start of the High Season for long-haul markets and ongoing government initiatives, including the "Ease of Traveling" measures, the exemption of the TM.6 immigration card, and efforts to encourage airlines to increase flight frequencies.
