KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Koh Samui has emerged as the top Thai destination for the Songkran holiday next month, bolstered by the popularity of the hit TV series The White Lotus, according to the Bangkok Post.
Citing data from hotel booking technology firm SiteMinder, government spokesman Anukool Pruksanusak said the southern resort island in Surat Thani province has seen a 65 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings by foreign tourists planning to visit between April 10 and 17.
“Koh Samui is the primary destination for long-staying foreign tourists during the April holiday,” Anukool was quoted as saying, adding that the average length of stay has risen slightly to 3.8 nights from 3.74 nights last year.
The latest season of The White Lotus, which premiered in mid-February, has driven international tourism interest in Koh Samui, leading to a 41 per cent increase in direct online bookings at the three Anantara resorts owned by Minor International.
Founder and chairman Bill Heinecke also reported a doubling of web traffic during the same period, the Bangkok Post reported.
Other major Thai destinations are also seeing a surge in bookings for the Songkran holiday, with foreign hotel reservations in Chiang Mai rising by 41 per cent and Bangkok recording a 20 per cent increase, according to Anukool.
The Thai government expects the Songkran celebrations, famous for public water fights, to generate approximately 20 billion baht in tourism spending this year.
Thailand has welcomed 8.9 million visitors since the start of 2025, a 2.9 per cent increase from the same period last year, generating 435 billion baht in revenue, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Tourism contributes about 12 per cent to Thailand’s economy and employs nearly 20 per cent of its workforce, the Bangkok Post added.