BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand saw a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018, up 7.5 percent from the previous year, the Tourism Ministry said on Monday.
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The ministry expects the number of tourists visiting the country this year to increase by 7.5.
Thailand's December tourist arrivals were 3.85 million, the ministry said in a statement.
For 2019, the ministry expects 41.1 million tourists to spend 2.21 trillion baht (53.15 billion pounds). The number of visitors from China - Thailand's biggest source of tourists - is projected to rise 11 percent to 11.69 million, it said.
Foreign tourist receipts account for about 12 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.
(Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Shreejay Sinha)