- In the year up to August, 923,113 Russians traveled to Thailand.
- Russian tourists would be able to enter Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
- Official data indicates that in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, around 1.5 million Russians visited Thailand.
In the year up to August, 923,113 Russians traveled to Thailand, placing them sixth in terms of visitors after those from Malaysia, China, South Korea, and India.
According to a government minister, Thailand will permit Russian nationals to stay longer to increase tourism during the busiest travel season.
Enter Thailand without a visa
Press conference in Bangkok, November 2024: Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said that Russian tourists would be able to enter Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 90 days (instead of the existing 30 days) until the end of April 2024.
Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports show that 923,113 Russians traveled to Thailand in the year that ended in August, placing them fifth after visitors from Malaysia, China, South Korea, and India.
Official data indicates that in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, around 1.5 million Russians visited Thailand, spending roughly $3.3 billion, placing them as the third-largest group of travelers.
Thailand’s economy depends on foreign tourists visiting the country, but a recent shooting event in a Bangkok mall may have lessened the appeal of the destination for Chinese tourists, who might also enter without a visa.
According to government spokesman Chai Wacharonke, as of October 14, some 590,000 Chinese tourists still had confirmed hotel and flight reservations to Thailand, down from the 650,000 registered before the incident. In total, up to 30 million visitors are expected to visit Thailand this year, which is more than twice as many as in 2022.
