Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat greets He Wei Xin, the 10 millionth tourist from China to arrive in Thailand, at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday.
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When He Wei Xin planned a trip to Thailand, she had no idea she was destined to become the 10 millionth visitor from China this year. The tourist arriving on Thai Airways International flight TG613 from China this year.
The tourist arriving on Thai Airways International flight TG613 from Kunming on Wednesday was intercepted by officials after going through the immigration process at Suvarnabhumi airport — not because she was suspected of some heinous crime, but because she was the 10 millionth tourist arriving from the Middle Kingdom this year.
Miss Xe received souvenirs from Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat and Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Sutheerawat Suwannwat — and a free ride in an Airports of Thailand limousine to her hotel.
The THAI Airways flight from Kunming touched down in Bangkok at 4.35pm.
The Chinese top the roster of foreign arrivals to Thailand, with 8.37 million visitors in the first nine months of this year.
Officials previously targeted an even larger number of visitors from China in 2018. Arrivals dropped after the July Phoenix boat tragedy in Phuket that claimed the lives of 47 Chinese tourists.
By SUTTHIWIT CHAYUTWORAKAN