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TAT cuts 2026 foreign arrivals forecast amid Middle East tensions

13 Sept 18:56Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Tourism Authority (TAT) has downgraded its 2026 foreign arrival forecast by 18%, now expecting 30-34 million visitors, primarily due to escalating Middle East tensions and broader global uncertainties.
The revised outlook stems from a slowdown in key long-haul markets like the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, coupled with flight capacity constraints and fluctuating global oil prices affecting travel demand.
In response to the changing landscape, TAT is recalibrating its strategy from a volume-driven approach to a 'value-over-volume' model, focusing on increasing spending per trip and developing higher-quality tourism products.
Despite the softer projections, the sector aims to generate 2.58 trillion baht in total tourism revenue, leveraging a diversified tourist base to enhance resilience against persistent external pressures and global economic fragility.

Today 01:50Key points summarised by AI

Narathiwat Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Arsesan, the second suspect in the deadly July 22 attack on a checkpoint that killed five paramilitary rangers and injured six civilians.
Arsesan is also wanted for his alleged involvement in a bomb attack on March 8, while another suspect, Mahama Sari, is currently in military custody for questioning regarding the checkpoint attack.