Thailand April tourist arrivals up 18.3% y-o-y: govt spokesman

[BANGKOK] The number of tourists arriving in Thailand rose for the seventh straight month in April, increasing 18.3 per cent from a year earlier and offering a much-needed boost to the flagging economy.

Foreign tourist numbers were 2.28 million in April, with visitors mostly from China and Malaysia, Yongyuth Mayalarp, a government spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday.

April tourism revenue totalled 104.1 billion baht (S$4.15 billion), a 21.9 per cent increase from a year before, he added.

Tourism in Thailand has been steadily recovering since the army seized power last May to end months of political unrest.

REUTERS