Thai Tourists Spend Record 559 Billion Baht Abroad in 2025
Thai travelers spent a record 559 billion baht abroad in 2025, with 13.06 million trips driven by genuine demand recovery rather than just visa-free policies. China led destinations with nearly a quarter of all travelers, while Japan attrac
The Bnomics research team at Bangkok Bank has released data on Thai outbound travel in 2025, revealing record-breaking numbers: 13.06 million travelers (up 11.4%) who spent a combined 559 billion baht (up 29.5%), averaging 1.53 billion baht daily or 42,790 baht per trip. This reflects authentic demand recovery rather than solely the "China Effect" from visa-free policies.
China dominates as the top destination, attracting 3.06 million Thai visitors (nearly one-quarter of all travelers) with 120.253 billion baht in spending (39,317 baht per trip), benefiting from permanent visa-free agreements and strong value for money—approximately 24% cheaper than Japan. Malaysia ranks second, drawing 1.72 million Thai tourists who spent 33.381 billion baht, leveraging proximity and transport convenience via car, train, and air. Laos comes third with 1.44 million visitors spending 22.057 billion baht, boosted by the China-Laos Railway opened in 2021, which dramatically shortened travel time and reduced costs to China's south.
Japan takes fourth place with 1.23 million Thai visitors but leads in premium spending at 63.269 billion baht, or 51,558 baht per trip, reflecting Thai tourists' willingness to pay for quality experiences tied to food, culture, safety, and travel standards. The United Kingdom shows rapid growth, up 39.7%, with 492,000 Thai travelers spending 131.089 baht per trip, driven by longer average stays of 13.6 days for tourism, education, and family visits.
South Korea, by contrast, has fallen to 13th place with only 328,000 visitors (down 13.8%), despite K-Pop and cultural appeal. Stricter immigration enforcement targeting illegal workers has caused repeated entry denials, making travelers hesitant. This illustrates that modern travel competition requires destinations to offer not just attraction but confidence—travelers weigh "time and peace of mind" alongside money. Thailand's lesson is to enhance the entire tourism experience so visitors find travel "easy, worthwhile, reassuring, and worth returning to."
