Thailand’s tourism sector is grappling with a significant downturn, with only 16.8 million international arrivals recorded from January 1 to July 5, 2025—a 5% drop compared to the same period last year. Most concerning is the sharp 24.81% decline in East Asian tourists, particularly from China, traditionally Thailand’s largest source market.

Chinese tourist arrivals have dropped by 34.23% compared to pre-pandemic 2019, when over 11 million Chinese visitors contributed nearly 28% of total international arrivals. Now making up only 13.58% of arrivals, Thailand may end the year with fewer than 5 million Chinese tourists—the lowest in over a decade, excluding the pandemic years.

While long-haul markets such as the US, UK, and Australia show positive growth, they cannot fully compensate for the loss in volume and spending power of Chinese visitors. Malaysia has overtaken China as the top source market, but with significantly lower per capita expenditure.

Former TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn urged immediate action: “Thailand must urgently rebuild confidence among Chinese travellers, strengthen safety messaging, and launch targeted promotions. Reclaiming even 1 million lost Chinese tourists could inject up to 50 billion baht into the economy.”

He emphasized the importance of diversifying markets, yet acknowledged that without the return of Chinese tourists, Thailand’s 2025 tourism targets are unlikely to be met.