Thailand reassures tourists.

Tourists wearing traditional Thai clothing pose for photos while visiting Wat Arun temple.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the dissolution of parliament on the night of December 11, asserting that he "is returning power to the people" after weeks of political tension, according to Reuters .

Adith Chairattananon, Secretary-General of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said that the dissolution of parliament "does not affect tourists' travel decisions," as it is a legal and familiar process in Thailand's political context.

He argued that the interim government needed to focus on pressing tasks such as resolving the conflict with Cambodia, addressing the damage caused by natural disasters, maintaining the implementation of current policies, supporting civil servants, and ensuring that the upcoming elections were held in accordance with the constitution.

Kitti Pornsiwakit, President of the Tourism Marketing Association of Thailand, believes that the dissolution of parliament and the waiting for new elections are unlikely to significantly impact the tourism industry during the peak season. However, this event could have some impact on the off-season following Songkran (Thai New Year).

Regarding the proposal submitted to the interim government, he said that the tourism industry wishes to continue implementing the existing plans of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), maintaining the support measures proposed by businesses, in order to make the most of the peak season and minimize disruptions during the off-season.

Tourists gather in Bangkok's Chinatown district.

Kitti emphasized that the tourism industry "needs a long-term strategy" to upgrade the entire tourism ecosystem, from human resources, products, digital platforms to policies.

He also proposed establishing a dedicated tourism research group and an "AI operations room" to support Thailand in regaining its position as a world-leading tourist destination in a balanced, sustainable, and high-value manner.

According to Khaosod , as of December 7th, Thailand recorded 30.3 million international visitors, generating 1.4 trillion baht (approximately US$44 billion ), according to preliminary government figures. Malaysia is currently the largest market with 4.2 million visitors, followed by China (4.1 million), India (2.3 million), Russia (1.7 million), and South Korea (1.4 million).

The tourism industry forecasts that the number of international visitors in 2025 will decrease to approximately 32 million, a 9.8% drop compared to last year's 35.5 million.

Officials believe that the flooding in southern provinces during the peak season, along with recent tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border, has significantly affected the psychology of tourists.

Tourists take photos on an overpass in Bangkok in March 2024.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) acknowledged that the overall context this year was unfavorable, but the figure of over 30 million international visitors was still "a very good number." The TAT Governor stated that this was a fairly positive result given the many unfavorable factors occurring simultaneously.

To boost year-end demand, TAT is spending 25 million baht to organize New Year's Eve countdown events across the country, with Chiang Mai and Phayao expected to attract around 150,000 people.

TAT's tourism strategy for 2026 focuses on three pillars: