World Cup causes dip in tourist numbers to Thailand

Thailand has been markedly rising in popularity with Russians in recent years - but there was a stall starting in February, it was reported today.

Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent secretary at the Tourism and Sport Ministry, attributed the plunge to the low season. 

But he also surmised that tourists who would have visited Thailand shifted to Russia due to the World Cup which started this month.

Many Russian tourists to Thailand come from the vast swathe of the country between the Urals and Pacific, namely Siberia and the Russian Far East. 

The ministry reported that visitors from Russia to Thailand dropped from 65,654 in May 2017 to 58,098 in May 2018, a 13% decrease. 

Revenue from this market fell 9.52%.