Thai tourism revenue to rise 10% in 2007

BANGKOK, Nov 24 (TNA) - Some 14.2 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year, up 3 per cent from 2006, while the country will earn about Bt500 billion from tourism revenue, an increase of 10 per cent from last year, according to a report issued by Kasikorn Research Center (KRC).

The leading think tank's report said Thailand's tourism had begun to improve during the second half of 2007 due to several positive factors.

The positive developments are rooted in the increased transparency in the political sector, with a general election to be held December 23, activities to celebrate His Majesty the King's 80th birthday on December 5, organised by both the public and private sectors, and the annual Loy Krathong festival which is being celebrated by Thais nationwide on Saturday evening November 24.

Foreigners as well as Thais will float krathongs -- usually made of flowers, lotus leaves, and banana stalks adorned with candles and incense -- placed into the country's rivers and canals as a gesture of paying respects to the 'Goddess of Water' .

The research centre projected that during the second half of 2007, 7.2 million foreigners will have visited Thailand.

KRC said that in 2007 overall, a total of 14.2 million foreign visitors would travel to the kingdom, a 3 per cent increase from the previous year, and that they could generate income of some Bt500 billion or a 10 per cent increase.

TNA

Good news for Thai tourism and so soon after the coup. Most expected to see a drop in tourism