Officials hope Test & Go cancellation will see flights to Thailand double by year end
With Test & Go now tested and gone, the Thai government hopes to see a surge in flights to the kingdom, up to twice the current number by the end of the year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is anticipating 83,500 flights a month across all airports by the end of 2022. The current number is 44,500, but government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul says officials expect a significant increase in both domestic and international flights.
Thailand ended its Test & Go entry scheme from last Sunday, in a bid to attract more overseas arrivals and revive the country’s decimated tourism sector. However, the much-criticised Thailand Pass remains in place, despite calls from both tourism operators and holidaymakers to get rid of it. Thailand now faces tough competition for the tourist dollar from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The Bangkok Post reports that on the first day after the cancellation of Test & Go, around 17,000 passengers, on 96 international flights, landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport. According to the country’s transport ministry, another 4,000 passengers, on 27 flights, landed at Phuket Airport.
According to Traisuree, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed his satisfaction about screening processes and document-checking at the country’s international airports and has thanked officials for a smooth transfer following the cancellation of the Test & Go scheme.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
