Surasak revealed that Thai tourism is showing signs of recovery, with 636,000 foreign visitors entering the country in one week. He ordered the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to expedite market stimulation for High-Value tourists and instructed the tourist police to oversee safety measures to enhance confidence.
On 12 November 2026, Mr. Surasak Phanjaroenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, reported that in the first week of November 2026, foreign tourists increased by 18.15% compared to the previous week. The Chinese and Malaysian markets showed remarkable growth. However, cumulative figures since the start of the year still declined by 4.71%, while revenue dropped by only 2.98%, reflecting a trend toward higher income per visitor in line with the Value over Volume policy, focusing on quality tourists and increasing economic value in Thai tourism.
In the first week of November 2026, from 1 to 7 November, Thailand welcomed a total of 636,432 foreign tourists, an 18.15% increase compared to the previous week. This reflects the expansion of travel during the onset of the high tourism season at year-end.
The short-haul market saw 361,720 visitors, up 16.12%, while the long-haul market had 274,712 visitors, increasing by 20.94% from the previous week, supported by the winter holiday period.
The top five countries sending tourists to Thailand were Malaysia with 79,693 visitors (up 28.87%), China with 75,610 visitors (up 46.88%), Russia with 48,584 visitors (up 9.18%), India with 36,816 visitors (down 9.95%), and the United States with 28,234 visitors (up 32.80%).
The Chinese market showed outstanding growth, with tourists increasing nearly 47% from the previous week. Malaysia benefited from the Diwali holiday, while Russian and U.S. markets expanded in line with year-end travel trends. Meanwhile, the Indian market declined as many tourists celebrated Diwali with family before traveling in the following week.
Considering cumulative data from 1 January to 7 November 2026, Thailand welcomed 26.10 million foreign tourists, a 4.71% decrease compared to the same period last year, generating approximately 1.272 trillion baht in revenue, down 2.98%.
Factors affecting foreign travel include economic conditions and rising airfares, which pressure long-haul markets—especially the Americas, where tourist numbers dropped 19.62%, and Europe, down 1.40% compared to last year. However, the Russian market still grew by 4.66%.
Importantly, despite a 4.71% decline in cumulative foreign tourists, revenue fell by only 2.98%, a smaller decrease, indicating that average income per visitor improved by about 1.8% compared to the same period last year.
This aligns with the Value over Volume tourism policy, which prioritizes economic value over simply increasing tourist numbers. The focus is on attracting quality tourists with strong purchasing power, promoting higher spending and longer stays, and distributing income to operators and communities throughout the country.
Overall, national tourism revenue accumulated to 2.286 trillion baht, down 0.68% year-on-year. Domestic travel saw 172.77 million trips, an increase of 1.97%, generating 1.014 trillion baht, up 2.37%.
Simultaneously, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) offices nationwide have been instructed to urgently revise marketing plans, organize continuous promotional activities, and stimulate travel, focusing on expanding the High-Value tourist market alongside volume growth by targeting potential markets able to travel to Thailand immediately.
At the same time, tourist police have been ordered to enhance safety measures, facilitate convenience, and build confidence among tourists to ensure Thailand remains a safe and reassuring travel destination.
Thus, the direction of Thai tourism is not merely increasing visitor numbers but elevating the tourism industry to efficiently generate income and economic value, along with developing product and service quality, equitable income distribution, and strengthening safety confidence to make tourism a key driver of sustainable Thai economic growth.