On March 28, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, with tremors felt in Yunnan, China, and much of Thailand. Bangkok, in particular, experienced strong shaking.
Home to over 10 million people, Bangkok has many residents living in high-rise apartments. The quake caused buildings to sway, prompting panic and evacuation of many residents from downtown areas.
The incident comes just as Thailand is seeing a surge in foreign tourist arrivals.
According to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 6.82 million foreign tourists have visited Thailand this year, generating tourism revenue of 333 billion baht (about USD 9.82 billion). China remains Thailand’s largest international source market, contributing over 1.03 million arrivals.
More recent figures show that between January 1 and March 16, 2025, Thailand welcomed 8,296,377 foreign tourists, generating revenue of 405.946 billion baht（about USD 11.97 billion). The top five source markets are China, Malaysia, Russia, India, and South Korea.
With the Songkran Festival on the horizon, the country is bracing for a travel surge.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand projects 476,000 international arrivals during the holiday, a 3% year-on-year increase. Domestic travel is also expected to grow by 7%, driving local spending to reach 265 million baht (about USD7.8 million).
