27th Jun 2022
Thai tourism prospects improved again after Thai airlines were permitted to begin flying two weekly flights between Thailand and China for the first time since the outbreak of the epidemic.
On Sunday, deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul stated that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had granted the carriers permission to fly.
She stated that the relaxation of travel restrictions in China is a positive sign that will help the tourism industry recover and generate revenue from the return of Chinese tourists.
According to the CAAC, flights would be limited to business travellers and students at first, but Ms. Traisuree believes Beijing will gradually reopen more foreign flights for the general public.
Thai Airways International, Thai Smile Airways, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Air Asia have all made petitions to fly to Guangzhou, and Thai VietJet and Nok Air will fly to Kunming and Nanning, respectively.
With the exception of flights to Beijing and Shanghai, the CAAT said that, after the CAAC's their decision to restore the routes, the airlines will take turns operating the flights.
Ms. Traisuree also reported that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was pleased with CAAT's decision to restart flights to China after he had said that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) was prepared to go all out in promoting tourism, with practically all entrance restrictions for foreigners to be lifted on Friday.
She noted that despite a drop in reported instances in Thailand, the government has advised citizens to stay attentive regarding COVID-19 hazards in order to bolster tourists' faith in the country's safety.