Phuket generates most revenue for Thailand, but locals question budget use
Phuket ranks at the top among the 77 provinces that generated the most revenue for Thailand’s tourism industry in 2024 but locals are questioning where the money went.
The spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Sasikarn Wattanachan, revealed the Thai tourism revenue generated by each province during a press conference, today, March 10.
She shared the rankings of the top 10 provinces that generated the most tourism revenue for the country last year, which are as follows:
- Phuket 497 billion baht
- Chon Buri 316 billion baht
- Surat Thani 119 billion baht
- Chiang Mai 103 billion baht
- Krabi 91 billion baht
- Prachuap Khiri Khan 51 billion baht
- Phang Nga 50 billion baht
- Songkhla 50 billion baht
- Chiang Rai 49 billion baht
- Kanchanaburi 36 billion baht
The information gathered from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand. Sasikarn pointed out that the rank not only showed how much each province made revenue to the country but also proved their abilities and potential to attract both foreign and domestic tourists.
Moreover, the stats also help the relevant departments in planning suitable activities and campaigns to draw tourists to each province and encourage each province to improve its tourism industry to maintain its popularity and gain more tourists.
Golden year of Thai tourism
Sasikarn emphasised that the tourism industry is still the key pillar of the Thai economy. Accordingly, this year, the government launched a campaign called the “Golden Year of Thai Tourism” which encouraged travellers to explore Thailand throughout the year without the low season.
This campaign will also encourage tourists to visit the secondary destinations to boost up economy in those provinces.
This information was gathered from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand.
Sasikarn pointed out that the rankings not only showed how much revenue each province generated for the country but also demonstrated their ability and potential to attract both foreign and domestic tourists.
Moreover, the data helps relevant departments plan suitable activities and campaigns to attract tourists to each province, encouraging improvements to the tourism industry to maintain popularity and attract even more visitors.
Budget spending in doubt
The Golden Year of Thai Tourism campaign will also encourage tourists to visit secondary destinations, boosting the economy in those provinces.
The spokesperson also added that the government enhanced the quality and security of accommodation through the “Standard Homestays from the Tourism Department” project. More than 200 accommodations are part of this initiative, offering tourists trust in the quality of services and safety measures.
While Phuket tops the rankings, some residents and business operators are not impressed with the figures. The Phuket Times reported that although the province generated significant income for the country, very little of that budget was allocated to the province itself.
The page noted that several infrastructure projects in the province required donation campaigns to complete, with some budgets granted under complicated conditions.
Residents have reportedly called for unfinished projects, such as the Patong Tunnel, electric train, and expressways, to be completed using the revenue generated by Phuket for the country.
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