The start of the new year saw a significant boom in Thailand’s tourism sector, with a 44% spike in tourism-related revenue. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) attributes this surge to the visa-free scheme and extended entertainment hours in select provinces.
Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, the Governor of TAT, revealed that the country amassed a staggering 54.4 billion baht (US$1,588,321,152) from December 22 to January 1. This figure marks a 44% increase compared to the revenue generated during the same period last year.
During this time, Thailand reportedly welcomed 1.1 million visitors whose expenditure stood at around 41.7 billion baht (US$1,217,518,236), a solid 60% increase year on year. The visa-free scheme for visitors from China, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Taiwan, coupled with extended operating hours for entertainment venues in tourist hotspots like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phuket, and Surat Thani (Koh Samui), significantly…
