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.