Thai outbound travel reaches record high with 13 million travelers

Thai citizens traveled abroad in record numbers last year, with 13.06 million people traveling overseas, marking an 11.4% increase from the previous year. Total overseas spending by Thais exceeded 559 billion baht, a 29.5% rise.

China was the most popular destination, attracting 3.06 million Thai visitors who spent a total of 120.25 billion baht. Bnomics, a research platform by Bangkok Bank, attributed China's popularity to visa-free entry, infrastructure, and value for money.

Malaysia ranked second with 1.72 million visitors, benefiting from its proximity and accessibility via road, rail, and air. Laos followed in third place with 1.44 million visitors, a trend supported by the Laos-China railway which has reduced travel times to southern China.

Japan ranked fourth, with 1.23 million visitors. While it had fewer travelers than China or Malaysia, Japanese trips saw higher average spending per person due to interest in food, culture, and safety. The United Kingdom rounded out the top five, characterized by high average spending per trip and longer stays.