Thailand tourist fee: 300 baht via air, 150 baht via land/sea

Thailand plans to charge foreign arrivals arriving by air a tourist fee of 300 baht (US$9.11) and a fee of 150 baht (US$4.56) for tourists entering the kingdom via land/sea by mid-2023.

The 300 baht tourist fee for air arrivals has been in the pipeline for a long time and is set to be enforced in June after facing several Covid-19-related delays.

However, the Ministry of Tourism wasn’t sure about whether to apply the fee to tourists entering Thailand via land or sea borders.

The biggest concern was that a 300 baht tourist tax could put off Malaysian tourists who are partial to crossing over into southern Thailand via land for short trips of just two or three days. In 2022, Malaysia was Thailand’s No.1 tourism market.

As a compromise, the ministry has halved the fee to 150 baht (US$4.56) for tourists arriving via land/sea.

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, revealed that the National Tourism Policy Committee convened on Friday to discuss 1) the collection of tourist tax via air and 2) the collection of tourist tax via land/sea…

“At the meeting, we discussed various issues about the collection of the tourist fee (also known as “stepping onto the land fee”) until we came to an agreement. Now, we will seek approval from the Cabinet within the next week.”

Air arrivals exempt from paying the tourist fee include Thai passport holders, airline staff, and infants under two years old.

For arrivals entering Thailand via land or sea, those exempt from paying the fee include Thai passport holders, arrivals entering using temporary border passes, civil servants travelling for work and any employees travelling for day trips.

“All steps have been clearly agreed upon. The draft law is complete and is awaiting Cabinet approval. Then we can proceed with the next steps,” added Phiphat.

It is not yet clear what exactly the collected tourist tax will be spent on. According to Phiphat, the money collected from tourists will be used to support visitors involved in accidents and also to develop tourist destinations.

Source - The Thaiger

7 Airlines To Slash Airfares By Up To 20% From Jan. 2023

THE Thai Airline Association said today (Dec. 26) that seven airlines are going to cut airfares by up to 20% from January 2023 after the government reduced the excise tax on jet fuel to only 20 satang per litre to stimulate tourism, TV Channel 7 said.

Mr. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, president of this association, said excise tax on jet fuel was cut to 20 satang per litre from 4.726 baht for six months starting January.

All seven airlines will be jointly organising a special promotion with all air fares to be gradually reduced by up to 20% depending on how each airline arranges it.

“The seven airlines will gradually organise this promotion with a maximum discount of 20% from the beginning of January 2023 onwards and I believe that this will help stimulate travel and tourism in all regions,” he said.

The seven airlines participating in this promotion are Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Smile, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai VietJet.

Meanwhile Mr. Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of Airport Authority of Thailand (AOT), forecast that air traffic volume during Dec. 29, 2022 – Jan. 4, 2023 at all its six airports will be around two million passengers, an an increase of 171.28% over last New Year (Dec. 29, 2021- Jan. 4, 2022).

Of this total around one million will likely be international passengers, an increase of 832.51%, and around one million domestic passengers, an increase of 57.05%.

There will be around 12,190 flights, an increase of 87.01%, divided into approximately 5,340 international flights, up 260.53%, and around 6,850 domestic flights, up 35.98%.

With all six AOT airports, Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang, Phuket and Hat Yai, being crowded passengers are requested to come to the airport two to three hours in advance so as to not miss their flight.

Source - ThaiNewsRoom

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Thousands STRANDED as Jetstar cancels flights

Jetstar is desperately working to get its planes back in the air after engineering issues forced the company to ground almost half of its fleet, leaving thousands of Australians stranded overseas.
The budget airline confirmed that, by the end of Tuesday, four of its 11 long haul Boeing 787 Dreamliners would be grounded to undergo emergency repairs.

One plane will return to service later this week with two more 787s to take to the skies next week, leaving only one plane out of operation.

A Jetstar spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the fleet had been impacted by ‘a number of issues’, including a lightning strike, a collision with a bird, damage from an item on the runway and issues sourcing a part from the US.

‘The team is working hard to return these aircraft to service as quickly as possible however, safety remains our first priority,’ they said.

It’s understood more than 4,000 passengers have spent extra time in Bali after seeing their return flights with Jetstar either cancelled or delayed.  For the latest stories follow Bangkok Jack News on Twitter.

Some of those passengers were forced to wait up to five days to be put on another flight while others paid thousands of dollars to travel home with a different airline.

One woman from Melbourne, Meagan Mulder, said she, her husband and their two kids had a seven-hour delay in getting home, but the situation was much worse for the friends they’d travelled with around the Indonesian country.

‘We had 12 friends who were on the midnight flight (on Sunday) night, they had their flight cancelled, they can’t get another flight anywhere for seven people until Friday this week, so they’ve had to get more accommodation and everything,’ she told NCA Newswire.

Other friends she knew ended up spending $10,000 to fly via Kuala Lumpur with another airline.

Similar issues have been seen in Thailand with one woman from Brisbane due to fly home with her husband and two kids from Phuket on Saturday night only to find out their flight had been cancelled.

The family was told the next available flight was on September 12 – nine days after their original return trip, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

For those stranded overseas, passengers will be given $150 per hotel room by Jetstar and $30 per person for food.

‘Our teams are working hard to get passengers on their way as soon as possible – we are putting on five special services to bring people home and booking seats on Qantas flights also,’ a Jetstar spokesperson said.

Flight credits or refunds have also been offered.

Source - BangkokJack

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Lufthansa reopens Bangkok Munich route

Lufthansa is offering customers daily flights between Bangkok and the Bavarian capitol Munich beginning with this year’s summer schedule on 27 March. These flights replace service to Frankfurt during the winter.

The initial Lufthansa flight schedule is as follows:

* Bangkok – Munich / Flight LH773 / departure: 11 p.m. local time, arrival: 5.20 a.m. local time
* Munich – Bangkok / Flight LH772 / departure: 10:45 p.m. local time, arrival: 2:10 p.m. Bangkok local time

The aircraft operating these services is the most modern in the world: the Airbus A350-900 that has set high standards in fuel-efficiency and passenger comfort. It offers 48 lie flat seats in Business Class, 21 in Premium Economy and 224 Economy Class seats.

Munich – Bangkok, however, is not the only service Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group, will offer Thai customers. The Group’s other premium carriers, SWISS and Austrian Airlines, will also connect Thailand with the heart of Europe. In the summer schedule, SWISS will fly six times weekly between Bangkok and Zurich while Austrian Airlines will fly daily between Bangkok and Vienna.

READ MORE - Bangkok-Jack

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Emirates A380 to return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to meet increased demand

The A380 is to return to the skies over Bangkok as Emirates upgrades capacity on flights to the capital to meet increased demand. TTR Weekly reports that Thailand’s recent re-opening to vaccinated tourists from approved countries has led to strong demand, with around 10,000 arrivals registered at Suvarnabhumi every day.

In order to add capacity and frequency to its services, Emirates is bringing back the Airbus A380, which will operate daily from November 28. Flight EK372 will depart Dubai at 09.30, touching down in Bangkok at 18.40. The return flight, EK373, will depart Bangkok at 20.35, arriving in Dubai at 00.50 the following morning.

The A380 service is in addition to Emirates’ other daily service to Bangkok on a Boeing 777 aircraft, as well as 5 weekly flights to the capital via Phuket. It’s understood the carrier will increase the frequency of these flights from December. The increase in frequency and capacity is to meet demand from travellers in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The increase in services means Emirates will be offering over 8,600 additional seats a week, which could increase further, subject to demand.

On November 1, Thailand re-opened with minimal quarantine for vaccinated travellers from 63 approved countries. Passengers still need to take a PCR test within 72 hours of travel, and again on arrival, but only have to stay at a SHA-accredited hotel until they receive a negative test result.

As global travel tentatively resumes, Emirates is re-introducing its flagship A380 aircraft on an increasing number of routes. According to TTR Weekly, the aircraft currently serves 25 cities in 6 continents. That number is expected to increase to 28 cities by the end of the year, as travel demand continues to rise.

Sourse - The Thaiger

Bangkok sees only 1500 arrivals for REBOOT

There were only 1500 foreign arrivals in Bangkok on Monday, the first wave of travellers to Thailand in 18 months, as part of a quarantine waiver for visitors vaccinated against the bug.
There were 1,534 foreign arrivals and 890 Thais on 40 international flights on the opening day on Monday, senior health official Kiattiphum Wongraijit said.

These are total arrival numbers. It is not known how many of these are returning foreigners with property and family or actual holiday makers.

The waiver covers more than 60 countries, including the United States and China, plus several places in Europe, from where some were escaping the winter blues.

“Right now, in Europe as you know it’s quite cold, so we decided to go come here,” said German national, Simon Raithel, among the first arrivals.

Thailand, one of the Asia-Pacific’s most popular tourist destinations, has enforced strict entry curbs that were criticised in the travel industry for being too onerous and economically damaging.

More than 3 million Thai tourism-dependent jobs and an estimated $50 billion a year in revenue have been lost.

Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for about 12% of Thai GDP, with one survey ranking Bangkok as the world’s most visited city.

Thailand tested the waters with the reopening of the island of Phuket, but the pilot scheme had mixed results, drawing just 1% of its monthly pre-pandemic level when it started in July.

Under the new national programme visitors must await a negative COVID-19 test on arrival then can travel freely the following day.

“It is much easier,” said Marguerite Jeason from France. “Before at first it was 14 nights.”

Airlines have rushed to ready the country for the hoped influx of visitors, bringing jets back from hibernation.

Still, the pickup is expected to be relatively slow, with only 180,000 foreign arrivals anticipated this year and 7 million next year, compared with some 40 million in 2019.

Source - BangkokJack

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Only 15,000 booked to arrive in Thailand next week

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Friday that 27 international flights are set to land in Thailand from November 1 to 5.
The country is reopening on Monday to three types of tourists, namely double jabbed visitors from 46 countries and territories, fully jabbed tourists allowed to travel in the 17-province “blue zone” and tourists who agree to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

CAAT said the 27 flights are scheduled to land in both Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phuket International Airport and will deliver 15,230 passengers.

The airlines include Korean Air, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines, KLM, Air India, Edelweiss Air, Lufthansa, Air France, Etihad Airways among others.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said Thailand was ready to welcome tourists, especially those who come by air.

CAAT has been instructed to release guidelines on entering and exiting the country in different languages and ensure the regulations are announced onboard every flight heading to the country.

Source - BangkokJack

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International airlines return 80% of their airport slots in Thailand for the next five months

A traditional Thai statue wears a face mask as a campaign for travelers to prevent the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus at the departure terminal of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on December 18, 2020. / AFP

International airlines have returned as many as 80% of their airport slots at Thailand’s six international airports between October 31st and March 26th next year, indicating their uncertainty over a recovery in the aviation sector, according to Nitinai Sirisamatthakarn, the managing director of Airports of Thailand (AOT) Public Company.

AOT operates Suvarnabhumi, Don Muaeng, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang international airports.

He disclosed that the lowest point for the aviation industry in Thailand was from July to September, this year, after the Thai government suspended all regular flights as a precautionary measure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, during which average daily arrivals at the six international airports was only 50 passengers.

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/international-airlines-return-80-of-their-airport-slots-in-thailand-for-the-next-five-months/

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Singapore Airlines launches 60 minute A380 flights

It’s designed to ferry lots of people long distances, in an ultra-quiet flying experience. So flyers would be used to flying the huge Airbus A380 from LA to London, Bahrain to Frankfurt, Melbourne to Hong Kong.

The massive super jumbo airliner wasn’t designed for a short 1 hour hop. But that’s exactly what Singapore Airlines have planned now they’re getting their fleet back in the skies.

The flight is surely one of the shortest scheduled journeys for the mighty A380, between Singapore’s Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur in next door Malaysia. The flights will be 3 times a week from November 4 to December 2, 2021 as both country’s aviation industries struggle back into the air.

Singapore’s national airline will also kick off its London flights out of Changi from the middle of November as well.

While some of the world’s largest airlines are mothballing their mammoth A380s, or taking them out of service altogether, Singapore Airlines says the plane is a favourite among passengers and “some people just book the A380 specifically to fly on it”. Lufthansa and Air France have already retired their superjumbos.

Another owners of a large A380 fleet, British Airways, is putting the world’s largest passenger jet back into service on short haul London to European destination, specifically to Madrid and Frankfurt. They say it’s to train crews before resuming the profitable transatlantic flights.

Airbus is no longer producing the A380s, after orders evaporated and the largest passenger jet, originally launched in 2005, falling out of favour with a smaller generation of more economical jets coming into service, like Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 series.

Source - The Thaiger

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Plan for Travel bubbles in the fridge: "For the time being no foreign tourists to Thailand"

Travel bubbles are likely to be delayed after several countries eyed for the scheme have seen a resurgence of Covid-19 cases, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop said even though talks about travel bubble arrangements continue with a number of countries including China, Japan and South Korea, the scheme will be put on hold due to a resurgence in infections. He said Thailand will be closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation this month.

The government has come up with a plan to launch travel bubbles with several countries with low corona-virus risk, originally starting in August.

Mr Chula said that local tourism is vital to rebuilding the country's aviation industry and noted that demand for domestic travel is picking up after airlines resume operations and business operators launch promotional campaigns to boost travel.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Tuesday that public safety is the top priority for the government as it considers reopening the country to international travelers.

Mr Saksayam called on airlines to wait for a clear policy from the government and the CAAT when asked about reports about airlines preparing to resume international flights in September.

Earlier an epidemiologist at Chulalongkorn University urged the government to use extreme caution when considering travel bubble arrangements because the Covid-19 pandemic is still ravaging many parts of the world.

Source - Bangkok Post

Global aviation in acute crisis

“…by the end of May 2020 most airlines in the world will be bankrupt.”

Global aviation has been battered and commercial scheduled air traffic remains mostly grounded as countries enforce their lockdowns and travel restrictions. There are few signs that the end is in sight. For the largest of carriers like IAG (British Airways), United, American Airlines, Emirates Lufthansa and many more all have been forced to seek help from their governments (see summary below).

The vital travel and tourism industry – which has often be the driver to a country’s economic recovery following past crises, is keen to see international air travel resume ASAP. The business of tourism which generates 10.3 percent of global GNP is anxious to restart travel.

A post-corona airline industry is going to look very different. Those that survive will have evolved into smaller leaner and debt laden businesses and probably bailed out by governments. Some aviation analysts are predicting that Covid-19 will leave the industry decimated and by the end of May 2020 most airlines in the world will be bankrupt. CAPA analysts have also reported the same, most of the world’s airlines could be bankrupt by the end of May if the situation does not turn around quickly.

One potential solution they propose would be to rescind national ownership rules and allow the industry to merge into global brands.

The post-corona chaos offers a rare opportunity to reset the building blocks of a global airline industry.

Emerging from the crisis will be like entering a battlefield littered with casualties. The field is open for lawmakers and financial markets to make their own demands on an industry that already has a long list – wish lists of ways they should treat customers better, reduce their carbon footprint and adopt more sustainable business practices.

As the impact of the corona virus slashes through our world, many airlines have already been driven into technical bankruptcy. We see cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded. Forward bookings far outweigh cancellations and each time there is a new government recommendation it is to discourage flying and travel.

“The new normal has not yet arrived at the airport.”

The International Air Transport Association most recent prediction is that European airlines will see demand drop by 55 percent in 2020 compared to 2019 and potential revenue losses will total $89 billion. The association revised its loss prediction of $76 billion made in March as the impact of the corona virus global pandemic on the airline industry continues to hit unprecedented levels.

There has been a 90% drop in regional demand in the last several weeks and IATA has cited the introduction of travel restrictions around the world limiting movement only to essential travel and repatriation of citizens to their home countries as having “a greater impact than previously expected.”

A significant number of European airlines have suspended passenger operations with two of the region’s largest carriers, easyJet and Ryanair, not expecting flights to operate until June.

Airlines will be hoping for corporate travel to bounce back quickly, business travellers probably pay four to five times the average fare on a typical flight – having them quickly back on airplanes is vitally important.

Even if the economy begins to recover in the third quarter of this year, as many economists predict, corona virus fears could lead to a slow recovery as travel struggles to regain its pre-crisis levels.

It could take months for an airline to come back to life. Also if second waves of the disease go around the world and possible hot-spot flare up these may reduce passenger confidence to travel. And while essential maintenance is still happening daily on parked planes, they will all need to be brought back into flying condition before being put back into service.

Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented. The new normal has not yet arrived at the airport.

The crisis list…

✈️ The US government agreed a $61 billion bailout for the US airline industry as the corona virus pandemic brings travel to a virtual standstill. The grants to major airlines including American, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue and United will probably come with strings attached.

On the 14 April 2020 the International Air Transport Association released updated analysis showing that the Covid-19 crisis will see airline passenger revenues drop by $314 billion in 2020, a 55% decline compared to 2019.

Earlier, on the 24 March IATA had estimated $252 billion in lost revenues (-44% vs. 2019) in a scenario with severe travel restrictions lasting three months. The updated figures reflect a significant deepening of the crisis since then, and reflect:

1- Severe domestic restrictions lasting three months

2- Some restrictions on international travel extending beyond the initial three months

3- Worldwide severe impact, including Africa and Latin America (which had a small presence of the disease and were expected to be less impacted in the March analysis).

Full-year passenger demand (domestic and international) is expected to be down 48% compared to 2019.

✈️ Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration on April 21 due to crippling debts exacerbated by the corona virus lockdowns. At least 10,000 jobs would be at stake if the airline folds. Virgin is carrying about AUS$5 billion (US$ 3.2 billion) in debt and had sought federal help to keep operating but the Morrison government rejected a $1.4 billion bailout.

✈️ Thai Airways similarly to Virgin Australia is seeking a US$1.8 billion restructuring loan from the government. The loan is unpopular as many believe that in its existing state it is doomed to fail. Trust of its management and directors has reached new lows with the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the public. Thai Airways must submit a rehabilitation plan by the end of the month if it wants the government to consider a rescue package. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob set the deadline amid this rising public sentiment against a state-backed loan.

✈️ IAG (British Airways’ parent company) the group announced in March moves to protect capital and reduce costs.

“We have seen a substantial decline in bookings across our airlines and global network over the past few weeks and we expect demand to remain weak until well into the summer,” CEO Walsh said. “We are therefore making significant reductions to our flying schedules. We will continue to monitor demand levels and we have the flexibility to make further cuts if necessary. We are also taking actions to reduce operating expenses and improve cash flow at each of our airlines. IAG is resilient with a strong balance sheet and substantial cash liquidity.”

Capacity for April and May will be cut by at least 75% compared to the same period in 2019. The group will also ground surplus aircraft, reduce and defer capital spending, cut non-essential and non-cyber related IT spend, and discretionary spending. The company also plans to reduce labour costs by freezing recruitment, implementing voluntary leave options, temporarily suspending employment contracts, and reducing working hours.

✈️ Air Mauritius goes into Voluntary Administration.

✈️ South African Airways Bankrupt. On 5 December 2019, the Government of South Africa announced that SAA would enter into bankruptcy protection, as the airline has not turned a profit since 2011 and ran out of money.

✈️ Finnair returns 12 planes and lays off 2,400 people.

✈️ YOU grounds 22 planes and fires 4,100 people.

✈️ Ryanair grounds 113 planes and gets rid of 900 pilots for the moment, 450 more in the coming months.

✈️ Norwegian completely stops its long-haul activity!!! The 787s are returned to the lessors.

✈️ SAS returns 14 planes and fires 520 pilots… The Scandinavian states are studying a plan to liquidate Norwegian and SAS to rebuild a new company from their ashes.

✈️ IAG (British Airways) grounds 34 planes. Everyone over 58 to retire.

✈️ Ethiad cancels 18 orders for A350, grounds 10 A380 and 10 Boeing 787. Lays off 720 staff.

✈️ Emirates grounds 38 A380s and cancels all orders for the Boeing 777x (150 aircraft, the largest order for this type). They “invite” all employees over 56 to retire

✈️ Wizzair returns 32 A320s and lays off 1,200 people, including 200 pilots, another wave of 430 layoffs planned in the coming months. Remaining employees will see their wages reduced by 30%.

✈️ IAG (Iberia) grounds 56 planes.

✈️ Luxair reduces its fleet by 50% (and associated redundancies)

✈️ CSA abolishes its long-haul sector and keeps only 5 medium-haul aircraft.

✈️ Eurowings goes into Bankruptcy

✈️ Brussels Airline reduces its fleet by 50% (and associated redundancies).

✈️ Lufthansa, the German federal government agreed on a €9 billion ($9.74billion) rescue package and plans to ground 72 aircraft.

✈️ Air France KLM Chief Executive Ben Smith said that voluntary redundancies would be part of the airline’s initial cost-cutting plans, and that costs at its ‘HOP’ arm were not viable as things stood. In an interview just hours after Air France KLM secured 7 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in French government aid, he also said that it could take two years, or possibly “even a bit longer,” before things returned to normal in the aviation and airline industry.

Global aviation in acute crisis | Source - News by The Thaiger

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Thailand’s Extends International Flight Ban Until the End of May

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extend its International flight ban on all incoming flight until May 31st, 2020. The aviation regulator announced the extension ahead of the scheduled expiry date, April 30th.

The ban was also in support of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s battle to control the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Thailand.

According to the Bangkok Post, CAAT did not explain why it extend the ban with many countries now looking to relax restrictions.

Thailand reported only nine new cases and one more death on Monday. When it was also announced the government was extending the State of Emergency Decree until May 31st.

Exemptions of the flight ban are state and military aircraft; and aircraft making an emergency landing; or a technical landing without disembarkation.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said the decision will affect international airlines. Even more those planning to resume commercial flights to Thailand. Philippines AirAsia, had announced the resumption of its Manila-Bangkok service from May 1.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand reports Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air will likely be the first to resume domestic flights, starting May 1st,2020. The routes will hinge on the decision of each province to ease its lockdown.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand had a meeting with representatives from 20 airlines on Thursday.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said after the meeting Thai AirAsia would resume domestic services on May 1st. Thai Lion Air said it would wait to see whether the state of emergency would be extended from April 30.

The routes each airline will resume also depends on the lockdown exit strategy of each province.

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extend its International flight ban on all incoming flight until May 31st, 2020. The aviation regulator announced the extension ahead of the scheduled expiry date, April 30th.

The ban was also in support of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s battle to control the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Thailand.

According to the Bangkok Post, CAAT did not explain why it extend the ban with many countries now looking to relax restrictions.

Thailand reported only nine new cases and one more death on Monday. When it was also announced the government was extending the State of Emergency Decree until May 31st.

Exemptions of the flight ban are state and military aircraft; and aircraft making an emergency landing; or a technical landing without disembarkation.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said the decision will affect international airlines. Even more those planning to resume commercial flights to Thailand. Philippines AirAsia, had announced the resumption of its Manila-Bangkok service from May 1.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand reports Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air will likely be the first to resume domestic flights, starting May 1st,2020. The routes will hinge on the decision of each province to ease its lockdown.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand had a meeting with representatives from 20 airlines on Thursday.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said after the meeting Thai AirAsia would resume domestic services on May 1st. Thai Lion Air said it would wait to see whether the state of emergency would be extended from April 30.

The routes each airline will resume also depends on the lockdown exit strategy of each province.

“We have required airlines to sell tickets for 70% of the capacity of each plane model by taking into account social distancing. Airlines will have to take this measure into consideration when considering resuming services,” Mr Chula said.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Airports of Thailand Offers Huge Discounts for Airlines and Business

Airlines and concessionaires that suspended operations will not owe rent or concession charges for 9 months or until operations resumed, AOT said.

Thailand’s State-owned Airports of Thailand Pcl has said it will offer new measures for airlines and businesses to mitigate the Covid-19 impact. Because of the decline in flights and passengers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Airports of Thailand (AOT) said it would offer a 50% reduction in rents, terminal fees and landing charges from April to December for airlines and businesses.

The announcement comes after AOT warned on Wednesday that it expected passenger traffic to drop by 53% for the fiscal year ending in September.

Airlines and concessionaires that suspended operations will not owe rent or concession charges for 9 months or until operations resumed, AOT said.

Duty-free retailer King Power, which holds the majority of duty-free and commercial concessions at airports, has closed its stores and is selling non-duty-free products online.

AOT operates six airports, including the country’s largest international hub, Suvarnabhumi Airport, and saw nearly 900,000 flights and 141.8 million passengers in the year that ended September 2019, booking profits of 25 billion baht ($773.5 million).

Its airport on the resort island of Phuket is closed.

Thailand has reported 2,839 cases and 50 deaths from the coronavirus.

The country’s aviation regulator in early April imposed a ban on passenger flights until the end of the month to curb the spread of the virus. The government had already banned the entry of non-resident foreigners in March.

Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy stands to lose 1.3 trillion baht, most of it in the tourism sector.

More than 2.57 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally, and 178,574 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Myanmar (Burma) sees world’s fastest tourism growth

Myanmar ranked highest among the world’s 20 fastest-growing travel destinations last year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing, part of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, said the country enjoyed a year-on-year increase of 40.2 per cent in tourist numbers, followed by Puerto Rico at 31.2 per cent and Iran at 27.9 per cent.

“We need to keep this momentum going for many more years,” said May Myat Mon Win, Myanmar Tourism Marketing chairperson.

The government has introduced new regulations to facilitate easier access for tourists as a next step to opening up to the world.

Myanmar grants residents of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau and some Southeast Asian countries visa-free entry.

People from India, the Chinese mainland, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and Switzerland are granted visas on arrival.

Citizens of more than 100 countries are eligible for e-visas via evisa.moip.gov.mm and can expect approval within three days.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing will have its annual “Green Season” campaign for May through September with the support of hotels, airlines and tour operators.

Fastest-growing travel destinations:

1. Myanmar 40.2 per cent

2. Puerto Rico 31.2

3. Iran 27.9

4. Uzbekistan 27.3

5. Montenegro 21.4

6. Egypt 21.1

7. Vietnam 16.2

8. The Philippines 15.1

9. Maldives 14.9

10. Bahamas 14.6

11. Qatar 14.5

12. Armenia 14.4

12. South Korea 14.4

13. Turkey 14

14. Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.7

15. Tunisia 13.6

16. Laos 11.5

17. Azerbaijan 11.4

18. Israel 10.5

19. Lithuania 10.1

20. Kazakhstan 10

Source - TheNation

Haze in the South 'easing' #Thailand

Particulate measurements within safe limits in 7 provinces

 NEWS that the dire haze situation in the South has improved comes as the government launched numerous measures aimed at easing the impact of the problem on people and businesses.

The Royal Thai Air Force has even sprayed water over hard-hit densely populated areas of Songkhla province in a bid to protect the health of people.

The smog has played havoc in the Southern region for many days, as winds brought smoke from Indonesia's bush fires.

"Now, the overall haze problem has eased," Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.

He said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha was worried about the haze's impact on people and had instructed relevant agencies to tackle the problem seriously.

The urgent measures are rainmaking operations, water spraying, the distribution of facial masks, and discussions with Indonesia over the problem.

The amount of particulate matter up to 10 microns in size (PM10), Sansern said, had not exceeded the safe limit of 120 micrograms per cubic metre of air in Surat Thani, Phuket, Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun and Pattani as of press time yesterday.

Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada said the haze situation in his province had shown signs of improving. He said there had not been any more flight delays because of poor visibility after 24 flights to and from Phuket were delayed between 6am Thursday to 6am yesterday.

Suratin Lianudom, a former mayor of Tambon Rassada Municipality, yesterday lodged an open letter with the Indonesian president via the provincial Phuket authority demanding that Jakarta pay serious attention to preventing the haze problem.

"Smog has affected the normal lives of people," he said in the letter.

Suratin said many tourists had been unable to connect with flights back to their home countries in time because of haze-caused flight delays.

Many children and elderly people in Phuket had developed health problems because of the haze, he said.

Yesterday, haze delayed at least four flights at Krabi International Airport, while Ranong Hospital deputy director Dr Arun Sattayapisan said the number of patients at the hospital had jumped by more than 30 per cent in the past few days because of the smog.

"Ranong doesn't have a station to check air quality. So we really don't know whether the air quality has dropped dangerously," he said.

Source: The Nation

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