Thailand welcomed 2.35 million international tourist arrivals in May, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.54 percent, official data revealed Thursday.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksameesangchan said tourism earnings from foreign visitors hit 108 billion baht (about 3.26 billion U.S. dollars) last month, rising 12.77 percent from the same period a year earlier, with Malaysia, China, India, Russia and Singapore ranking the top five tourist source markets for the month.

The Southeast Asian nation received a total of 14,515,978 foreign tourists from Jan. 1 to June 7 this year, bringing cumulative tourism revenue to 701.36 billion baht, according to the spokesperson.

China led the list with 2,386,714 arrivals, Ploytalay said, adding that a moderate uptick in inbound tourist numbers is projected for the current week, as travel demand from major markets gradually returns to normal.

"Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have pushed up air fares and general transportation costs significantly, which has reshaped global travel patterns. More travelers are opting out of long-haul trips and keeping a tighter control over travel expenses," the spokesperson noted.

Ploytalay said that aside from tapping into international tourism revenue, the Thai government is stepping up efforts to revitalize its domestic tourism sector by promoting short-distance and convenient trips, while revamping the tourism sector to keep pace with emerging global trends that prioritize sustainability, energy conservation and high-quality travel experiences.

xinhua