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After nearly 9 months on the ground due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with problems balancing their accounts, Thai Airways will resume flights between Bangkok and Chiang Mai as well as Bangkok and Phuket later this month. The flights will start back up on Christmas day.

Flights from Bangkok to the 2 key tourist provinces have been grounded since April 1. Starting December 25, the airline will run 3 flights a week on both routes. A source told the Bangkok Post that the new schedules will run until at least February 28.

Thai Lion Air, Thai Air Asia, Nok Air, Thai Smile, VietJet Air and Bangkok Airways have returned to the domestic skies since July and slowly adding frequency to their routes.

In addition to resuming the domestic flights, the Thai Airways is relaunching some international flights from January 1 to March 27 including weekly flights to Frankfurt, London, Copenhagen, Sydney, Seoul, Manila, Taipei and Osaka. Flights from Bangkok to Tokyo will be available 3 times a week and flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong will be available every day.

Thai Airways has been tackling bankruptcy throughout the lockdown and trying to make up for more than 300 billion baht in losses. Since many flights were suspended due to travel restrictions, Thai Airways has tried to make money by business ventures on the ground, like a pop-up restaurant serving in-flight meals and selling off unwanted equipment from their warehouse. There also disposing of much of their older fleet, including all of their Boring 747-400s.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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Despite few travellers actually being able to visit Thailand’s capital, including ‘business travellers, readers of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific have again named Bangkok the ‘Best Leisure City in the Asia-Pacific’. The Big Mango retains the top ranking on the list for the 5th consecutive year. Bangkok also got third place in the ranking of the Best Business city in the Asia. Singapore and Hong Kong beach out the Thai capital in that category.

Not only that. The 2020 ranking is also a record 10th time that Bangkok has won the award since 2008. Each year, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific confers the awards based on votes cast by its readers and subscribers.

Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the TAT says that, despite the current travel restrictions, Bangkok was able to win the award again.

“Bangkok remains top-of-mind with Business Traveller Asia-Pacific readers. We look forward to welcoming them back soon.”

The TAT were unable to contain their excitement with this PR fizz as they waxed lyrical…

“Bangkok’s rich diversity remains a major draw, showcased via its unique blend of New World experiences and Old World charms. And it is not just about mouth-watering Thai street food, though that remains a key attraction. the city now boasts multiple Michelin starred restaurants served by a modern transportation infrastructure.”

“This includes a new Blue Line underground train extension to historic Rattanakosin Island, where the grandeur of its amazing past remains on full display.”

Each year Business Traveller Asia-Pacific magazine, which gets around 750,000 readers a month online, confers the awards based on votes cast by its readers and subscribers. This includes frequent travellers who use airports, airlines and hotel services to visit a variety of regional destinations. Between April and June 2020, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific sent out a voting poll to subscribers with the results independently compiled by market research company Business Intelligence.

The Business Traveller brand leads the portfolio of titles belonging to international publishing house Panacea Publishing, which is based in London. Business TravellerAsia-Pacific is one of 13 titles around the world.

Since its first issue in 1982, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific has become a valuable resource for frequent travellers, as well as serving as a platform for their concerns.

Other winners in this year’s awards…

The 44 billion baht northern expansion of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport is being revised, to meet “new normal” requirements, according to Airports of Thailand. AOT president, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, says the process will take 1 or 2 months to complete.

Nation Thailand reports that the airport’s new northern terminal will have the capacity to handle 30 million passengers a year, with Nitinai remaining optimistic about a return to normal figures next year. He says the availability of effective Covid-19 vaccines should fuel a return to normality, with passenger traffic at Suvarnabhumi eventually reaching pre-Covid numbers of 65 million in 2023.

He adds that the Satellite Terminal 1 should be completed in 2022, with plans also being drawn up to extend the airport’s existing terminal east and west. The Satellite Terminal 1 is expected to increase the airport’s capacity by an additional 15 million passengers a year.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand