Thailand is relying on an influx of foreign tourists to shield its economy from political uncertainty following national elections. The country hosted 6.5 million visitors in Q1 2023, compared with 498,000 a year earlier, and is on track to hit its target of 30 million tourists this year. Tourism is seen as a key driver of the economy, even as exports stutter. Thailand became the only South-East Asian nation to experience faster expansion every year since the pandemic-induced downturn in 2020, according to a Bloomberg survey, with GDP expected to rise from 2.6% in 2022 to 3.6% this year. However, escalating political uncertainty could hurt tourist numbers.