BANGKOK: Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said pressure from rising energy prices and living costs had made Thais more cautious about spending and led them to adjust their travel behaviour, with a greater focus on budgets, especially after the travel and spending during the Songkran festival.
TAT therefore assessed that this year’s long holiday for National Labour Day and Coronation Day would see 2.83 million Thai visitor-trips, generate about THB10.05 billion in circulating revenue and record average accommodation occupancy of 64%, with Thai tourists accounting for 39% of average occupancy.
The three regions with the highest numbers of “Thai visitor-trips” are the Central region, with 843,700, followed by the Eastern region with 619,500 and the Northeast with 558,300.
The three regions with the highest “revenue from Thai visitors” are the Eastern region with THB2.71 billion, followed by the Central region with THB1.93 billion and the South with THB1.69 billion.
For “destinations” popular during this long holiday, the top five main cities with the highest numbers of Thai visitors entering their areas are Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chachoengsao.
The top five “cities worth visiting” (secondary cities) with the highest numbers of Thai visitors entering their areas are Suphan Buri, Udon Thani, Chanthaburi, Ratchaburi and Chiang Rai.
“Travel behaviour during the long holiday will mostly involve short-distance trips by families taking a break before the school term begins, with an emphasis on destinations that are convenient, do not take long to reach and are not costly.”
This is in line with private-sector survey data, such as the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT)’s survey, “Thai travel plans in the first quarter of 2026”, which found that 16-28% of Thais planned to travel during the National Labour Day holiday, continuing into Coronation Day in 2026.
Most chose to travel in their own province or nearby provinces rather than across regions, with 12-20% taking day trips in their own province or nearby provinces and 2-6% travelling to nearby provinces with an overnight stay, while cross-region travel accounted for only 2%.
Data from Agoda, an online travel platform, indicated that during the long holiday for National Labour Day and Coronation Day, between Thursday (April 30) and Monday (May 4), Thais showed increased interest in searching for nearby destinations that can be reached by car from Bangkok, such as Rayong, up 44%; Pattaya, 40%; Chon Buri, 29%; Ko Samet, 22%; and Hua Hin-Cha-am, 19%.
As for “supporting factors”, the first was the consecutive holiday period, which supported travel, especially among families who like to take children on trips during the school break, some tourists who postponed travel from Songkran, and working-age travellers looking for somewhere to relax and escape the heat.
The second was tourism-promotion activities organised by TAT and its partners, as well as government and private-sector agencies, including:
- Amphawa Waterfront Food Festival @ Wat Nang Wang, Samut Songkhram, May 1 to May 3
- Khao Chamao District Fruit and Local Products Festival, Rayong, May 1 to May 5
- Chachoengsao International Kite Festival, May 1 to May 3
- Koh Chang Tai Charity Trail 2026, Trat, May 1 to May 3
- Ramayana Run 2026, Chon Buri, May 3
- Amazing Thailand GI Tour & Trail Running 2026, May 3, 2026
- Traditional bathing ceremony for Phra Borommathat Chao Hariphunchai, Lamphun, April 25 to May 1
- Light Phenomenon: The Series Year 2, Nakhon Sawan, May 1 to May 3
- Samet Nangshe Tourism Festival: Discover the Phang Nga Bay way of life 2026, Phang Nga, May 2
- Spotlight Koh Tao 2026, Surat Thani, May 1 to May 3
- Two Seas Food Fair, Songkhla, April 24 to May 8
- The Colours of Loei, May 1 to May 4
As for “obstacle factors”, these came from:
1. Rising oil prices and living costs have affected travel spending. This was reflected in the March 2026 consumer spending conditions survey by the Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, which found that the suitability index for tourism spending in March had begun to decline again and stood at a low level of 77.0, indicating that consumers viewed the period as still unsuitable for tourism spending.
2. Overseas travel by Thais during this long holiday was expected to continue, as most had planned and booked in advance, while those with purchasing power might choose shorter-haul trips. Agoda data found that during the National Labour Day and Coronation Day long holiday, searches for “Ho Chi Minh City” recorded the highest increase, at 134%, followed by Da Nang at 58% and Hong Kong at 2%, respectively.
3. Extremely hot weather and possible summer storms in some areas were not conducive to travel or outdoor activities. Some tourists, especially those with health problems, might avoid travelling. - The Nation/ANN
