Thai tourism booming

Thai tourism booming

BANGKOK (AP): With tourist arrivals up by more than 6 percent, officials expect Thailand's crisis-ridden economy to be buoyed by 272 billion baht (US$7.5 billion) in foreign exchange earnings this year.

In a release received Tuesday, the government's Tourism Authority of Thailand said international tourist arrivals through the third quarter of 1998 totaled 5.6 million, an increase of 6.4 percent over the same period last year.

The weak Thai baht, which makes the country cheap for most foreigners, as well as political turmoil in competitive destinations like Malaysia and Indonesia, have helped spur the industry.

The government said arrivals from China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, the United States and Australia increased significantly over the first three quarters compared with the same period in 1997.

Thailand expects 7.7 million foreign tourists by the end of 1998, compared with 7.2 million last year.