Bangkok, Aug. 5 -- Thailand's tourism industry, a key pillar of the national economy, is facing a turbulent year in 2025 as international arrivals are projected to fall by 5% as a result of a sharp decline in Chinese tourists and mounting competition from other Asian destinations. From January 1 to July 5, 2025, the country welcomed 16.8 million international visitors, compared to the 17.7 million recorded during the same period last year. Tourists from nearby countries fell by 12.2%, with East Asia seeing a sharp fall of 24.8%. This drop is primarily attributed to fewer Chinese travellers, whose number decreased by 34.2% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Other markets such as India, Japan, Singapore, Australia and the US have show...