TAT welcomes Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi for Chinese New Year
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted a welcome event for Chinese visitors at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, February 17, as the Chinese New Year 2026 travel period continues.
The reception took place at Suvarnabhumi Airport, where TAT organised activities to greet travellers arriving from Shanghai, China. Those taking part in the welcome included TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool and Patanong Na Chiang Mai, TAT Deputy Governor for Asia and the South Pacific markets.
Also attending were Yang Xiaolong, Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand; Pol Lt Gen Saksira Pueak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police; and Kannika Premprasoet, Deputy Director of Suvarnabhumi Airport (Operations 2).
The group joined the reception and presented souvenirs to Chinese tourists travelling on Thai Airways flight TG 663 and Spring Airlines flight 9C7421, both arriving from Shanghai to Thailand.
Thapanee said Chinese New Year is an important tradition with deep meaning for Chinese communities worldwide. She added that Thailand is seen as one of the biggest Chinese New Year hosts outside of China.
This, she said, reflects the close relationship between Thai and Chinese people as they celebrate a period associated with happiness, warmth and positive beginnings.
She said festive celebrations have been taking place in many areas across the country, reinforcing a familiar phrase: “Zhong Tai Yi Jia Qin, China and Thailand are one family,” which reflects long-standing ties spanning culture, daily life and travel between the two countries.
TAT also reported that between January 1 and February 15, 2026, a total of 770,427 tourists from China entered Thailand, as the country moved into the month associated with Chinese New Year celebrations.
According to TAT, the trend in Chinese arrivals has shown improved signs, reaching 30,000 visitors per day. The agency forecast that during the Chinese New Year period from February 13 to 22, 2026, around 241,000 Chinese tourists would travel to Thailand.
Similarly, back in December last year, Thailand crossed a tourism landmark as long-haul arrivals surpassed 10 million for the first time, a milestone symbolically marked by a Thai Airways flight landing in Bangkok from London. The UK also became the first European market to send over 1 million tourists to Thailand in 2025.
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