The number of tourists arriving in Thailand rose for the seventh straight month in April, increasing 18.3 percent from a year earlier and offering a much-needed boost to the flagging economy.

Foreign tourist numbers were 2.28 million in April, with visitors mostly from China and Malaysia, Yongyuth Mayalarp, a government spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday.

April tourism revenue totalled 104.1 billion baht ($3.13 billion), a 21.9 percent increase from a year before, he added.

Tourism in Thailand has been steadily recovering since the army seized power last May to end months of political unrest. ($1 = 33.2500 baht) (Reporting By Pairat Temphairojana and Pracha Hariraksapitak; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Source: Reuters