Tourism Ministry reaffirms Thailand is safe for Russian tourists

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has reaffirmed that Thailand is a safe destination and is ready to welcome Russian tourists and visitors from around the world, saying Russia is one of its quality tourist markets. In 2025, nearly 1.9 million Russian tourists visited Thailand.

Minister Surasak orders TAT to monitor the situation after the Russian advisory

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul has also instructed the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the private sector to closely monitor the situation after Russian authorities warned Russians to exercise greater caution when travelling to Thailand.

Following a notice issued by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday (June 12, 2026), Russian citizens were warned to exercise greater caution when travelling to Thailand for tourism or business, citing the risk of detention or arrest at the request of US law enforcement agencies.

The notice also said Thailand remained one of the countries where such action continued to be taken against Russians, and advised those who may risk prosecution by US authorities to avoid travelling to Thailand, including transiting through Thai airports.

The statement also said the United States had intensified its monitoring and prosecution of Russian citizens, particularly after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, and claimed that some detainees had faced pressure and questioning by US agencies.

Russia also urged its citizens to carry contact details for Russian embassies and consulates overseas so they could seek assistance if problems arose during travel.

Thailand is safe and ready to receive Russian tourists

Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said on Monday (June 15, 2026) that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports had been closely monitoring the situation in response to reports about advice from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to some groups of citizens regarding travel to Thailand.

He reaffirmed that Thailand remained a safe tourism destination, maintained international-standard tourist care, and was ready to welcome tourists from all countries, including Russian tourists, as before.

Thailand and the Russian Federation have good relations at every level, including politics, the economy, trade, investment, education, culture and tourism.

The two countries will mark the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027, reflecting a long-standing friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries.

Russian tourist arrivals in Thailand approach 1.9 million a year

Russian tourists have always been good friends of Thailand and are one of the quality tourist markets of particular importance to the Thai tourism industry.

In 2025, Thailand welcomed nearly 1.9 million Russian tourists, the highest number of visitors from any European country travelling to Thailand.

In 2026, meanwhile, in just the first five and a half months, more than 979,000 Russian tourists had already entered Thailand, making it Thailand’s fourth-largest market and generating more than THB58 billion in revenue, reflecting the continued popularity of, and confidence in, Thailand among Russians.

Thailand is a second home for Russian tourists

Surasak said there were currently no signs affecting Russian travel to Thailand overall, whether in flights, accommodation bookings or tourism activities.

Relevant agencies continued to monitor the situation and assess any impact closely with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the tourism private sector.

The Thai government attaches importance to facilitating travel and building confidence among all groups of foreign tourists under the principles of the rule of law, safety and equal treatment.

Thailand continues to upgrade tourist-care measures in areas including safety, transport, services and 24-hour tourist assistance through the multilingual Tourist Police hotline 1155.

“I reaffirm that Thailand remains a second home for Russian tourists and tourists from around the world. We are ready to welcome everyone with friendship, safety and internationally recognised service standards, while continuing to build confidence and deliver the best tourism experience for every tourist.”

Surasak said the Ministry of Tourism and Sports had coordinated with and monitored the situation closely alongside Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish the facts and assess possible impacts on the tourism sector.

Both agencies shared the view that Thailand remained a safe destination and was ready to welcome tourists from every country as normal.

In addition, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, through TAT offices in Thailand and overseas, has continued to monitor the travel climate and confidence among Russian tourists.

It is also coordinating with the private sector, airlines and tourism operators to communicate accurate information and build confidence among tourists comprehensively.

The Thai government has always attached importance to good relations between Thailand and the Russian Federation, and is ready to take all appropriate measures to maintain a positive climate of cooperation, as well as the confidence of tourists and operators from both countries, which forms an important foundation for long-term shared tourism growth.