BANGKOK, 8 October 2021: Thai AirAsia sponsored a roundtrip educational flight earlier this week from its home base at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Chiang Mai to build confidence and stimulate domestic tourism.
The flight transported high ranking officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Public Health. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the minister of tourism and sports, led the group, including private sector VIPs and the media.
The gig was supposed to promote the start of the “year-end tourism season” that during the pre-Covid-19 attracted droves of Bangkok residents and foreign tourists who headed to the northern city to enjoy the “cool season” weather.
This year the airline was keen to show the VIPs that air travel strictly complies with the strictest hygiene measures and passenger screening for the short one-hour domestic flight.
Thai AirAsia chief executive officer, Santisuk Klongchaiya said the airline has resumed most of its domestic routes since September.
“By this October, Thai AirAsia has added 20 domestic routes, up to 30 flights per day. to meet travel needs and stimulate the tourism atmosphere under the measures to control the spread of Covid-19.”
TAT has outlined a three-phase reopening schedule that should see all tourism destinations across the country reopening by December. Chiang Mai should reopen earlier in November in time for domestic tourists to enjoy the northern city’s cool season. Double jabbed travellers will be able to visit the city without quarantine or having to undergo expensive PCR tests.
The special flight illustrated the precautions that are now in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 mainly through robust passenger screening measures from the check-in point. Domestic passengers can also use the Digital Health Pass from the Mor Prom or Doctor Ready app that shows a QR Code with their vaccination information.
