Ms. Thapanee Kiattipiboon, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed that TAT has assessed the fighting and tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border as a major risk factor affecting Thai tourism in late 2025 during the high season. This particularly impacts tourist confidence and travel decisions, compounded by flooding in the south at the end of November. Although the conflict is confined to certain provinces and districts, continuous news coverage domestically and internationally, along with travel advisories, has psychologically affected tourist confidence broadly.
TAT estimates that the border situation will cause a 7–11% decline in foreign tourists in December 2025, equating to about 3.2 million visitors. Should tensions persist, the impact could exceed current expectations. Field monitoring shows border tourism areas, especially Trat province, face an average room cancellation rate of 42%. Some islands report cancellations exceeding 30–40%, with Ko Chang averaging over 35%, Ko Kut 30%, Ko Mak 44%, and urban Trat accommodations experiencing cancellations as high as 60%.
In the northeastern border areas, some tourist sites have been unable to operate normally, and certain events and activities have been postponed or altered, leading to significant tourism revenue declines. In particular, provinces along the Thailand-Cambodia border report lower hotel occupancy and reduced tourism spending. Although some state officials, military personnel, and media have stayed in these areas, their stays are duty-related with limited spending, insufficient to compensate for tourist revenue losses.
Meanwhile, flooding in the southern region has worsened the overall tourism situation, especially in Songkhla province, where Hat Yai district suffered severe effects. TAT estimates that economic and tourism recovery will require at least one month, impacting short-term tourist travel.
"The market most clearly affected by the southern floods is Malaysia, the primary market for the area. It is expected that Malaysian tourist arrivals will drop by 55% in December 2025, to approximately 205,000 visitors, generating revenue of 4.444 billion baht—a 54% decrease. Meanwhile, the Chinese market, another key segment, is projected to see a tourist decline of around 34%."
"The main challenge now is to quickly restore confidence while managing the risks from the border situation. TAT is intensifying local communications to differentiate affected areas from the country’s main tourist destinations. We affirm that major tourist cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Pattaya remain accessible and can host activities as usual."
Overall, for 2025, TAT expects Thailand to receive 32.8 million foreign tourists, an 8% decrease, generating 1.52 trillion baht in revenue, down 5%. Domestic tourism is expected to see 206.6 million visits, a 3% increase, generating approximately 1.16 trillion baht, up 4%. Thus, total tourism revenue is projected at about 2.68 trillion baht, a 2–3% decrease from the previous year.