Phuket flooding expected to have limited economic impact, Thailand says

Thailand's tourism minister said flooding in Phuket could affect the local economy but was unlikely to significantly disrupt tourism or prompt visitors to delay or cancel trips.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Pancharoenworakul said on 29 October that he had instructed the provincial tourism and sports office, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and tourist police to coordinate with provincial authorities on tourist safety and assistance.

Initial reports indicated that no tourists had been injured, although some had been affected by flash floods. They were moved to safe areas and could return to their accommodation once conditions returned to normal, he said.

Surasak said the government had not yet assessed the economic impact, but expected it to be limited. Foreign tourist arrivals in 2026 were more than 4% below the previous year nationwide, while the number of Thai tourists had increased.

He said tourism-related activities in the final quarter were expected to help bring visitor numbers close to the previous year's level. The government is targeting growth of 5-10% in tourist numbers in 2027.