Yuthasak Supasorn, the former head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, has cautioned that the nation can no longer rely solely on tourism to drive its economic expansion. Citing a combination of rising regional competition, significant household debt, and a downward trend in visitor arrivals, he emphasized the urgent need to cultivate alternative industrial sectors. Official data indicates that Thailand hosted 32.97 million international visitors in 2025, representing a 7.23% decline compared to the previous year and remaining significantly lower than the 2019 peak of 39.9 million. Furthermore, revenue generated from international tourism dropped by 4.71% to roughly 1.53 trillion baht. With the Kasikorn Research Center projecting a further decrease to 31.36 million arrivals for the current year, experts suggest that structural economic shifts are necessary to ensure long-term stability.
Source : The Thaiger
Photo : The Thaiger
