Thailand’s economy may accelerate next year and hit the 3.8% growth forecast provided its vital tourism sector will get a boost from China’s reopening plans needed to offset slowing global demand, the finance minister said on Tuesday.
Growth in southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has lagged that of other peers as the tourism sector just started to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. In pre-pandemic 2019, Chinese tourists accounted for about 28% of nearly 40 million foreign tourist arrivals.
Arkhom Termpittayapaisith estimated 2022 economic expansion at 3.1% or 3.2%.
