13 million Thais travel abroad in record year, China No. 1 destination

BANGKOK — Thai outbound travel reached a record high over the past year, with 13.06 million Thais travelling overseas, up 11.4%, according to research by Bnomics, a research and economic content platform by Bangkok Bank.

The trips generated more than 559 billion baht in spending, with China emerging as the most popular overseas destination among Thai travellers.

China attracted 3.06 million Thai visitors, who spent a combined 120.25 billion baht, or about 39,317 baht per trip.

Bnomics attributed China’s popularity partly to its visa-free arrangement for Thai travellers, which reduces travel procedures, as well as its extensive infrastructure and relatively good value for money.

Malaysia ranked second, attracting 1.72 million Thai travellers and generating 33.38 billion baht in spending. Its proximity and accessibility by road, rail and air were identified as key advantages.

Laos ranked third, with 1.44 million Thai visitors spending 22.06 billion baht.

Bnomics said the Laos-China Railway, which began operating in 2021, has transformed travel in the region by significantly cutting travel time from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and onward to southern China.

Japan ranked fourth, with 1.23 million Thai visitors spending 63.27 billion baht, equivalent to 51,558 baht per trip.

Bnomics said Japan’s appeal included its food, culture, safety and transport, with Thai travellers spending more for what it described as a higher-quality travel experience.

The United Kingdom ranked fifth despite attracting only 492,000 Thai visitors. Spending per trip was particularly high at 131,089 baht, with the average stay reaching 13.6 days. Bnomics attributed the spending to a combination of tourism, education and visits to relatives.

South Korea, meanwhile, fell to 13th place, with the number of Thai visitors dropping 13.8% to 328,000.

Bnomics said South Korea’s continued popularity through K-pop and Korean culture had been offset by stricter immigration measures linked to concerns over illegal employment.

The analysis said repeated cases of Thai travellers being denied entry had created uncertainty over whether visitors would be allowed through immigration, adding what it described as a psychological and time cost for travellers.

As a result, some Thai travellers have opted for destinations perceived as easier to enter, according to the Bnomics analysis.

The figures highlight how visa policies, accessibility, travel costs and the predictability of border procedures can influence where Thai travellers choose to spend their money overseas.