Thailand's Aug foreign tourist arrivals up 7.4% y/y - ministry

* Tourist arrivals in Thailand rose 7.35% in August from a year earlier, after an increase of 4.72% in July, the tourism ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

* The 3.466 million tourists in August spent 169.8 billion baht ($5.56 billion), up 6.16% from a year earlier. * Visitors from China, Thailand's biggest source of tourists, totalled 1.03 million in August, up 18.89% from a year earlier, after rising 5.81% in July.

* Preliminary ministry data this month showed a year-on-year rise of 5.6% in August overall tourist arrivals. * Foreign tourist receipts make up about 12% of Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP). ($1 = 30.54 baht)

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