Thailand to welcome over 1,600 flights from China as tourism recovers

By Hoang Phong February 18, 2023 | 05:00 pm PT

Passengers from China's Xiamen arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand, January 9, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority has granted permission for over 1,600 flights from China to land in the kingdom over the next two months as it seeks to boost the recovery of its vital tourism sector.

Of them, 671 will land this month, with another 970 slated for arrival next month, CAAT President Suttipong Kongpool told The Thaiger.

A total of 269 Chinese flights already arrived in Thailand last month after China reopened its borders after being closed for nearly three years.

China, one of the world's largest outbound tourism markets before the pandemic, allowed its travel agencies to sell group tours to 20 countries, including Thailand, beginning Feb. 6. Vietnam was not on the list.

Thanks to the lifting of Covid travel restrictions and a friendly visa policy, Thailand received over 11 million foreign arrivals last year.

The Thai government is targeting 30 million arrivals this year, including seven million Chinese tourists.

In 2019, Thailand welcomed 40 million international tourist arrivals, with Chinese accounting for more than a quarter of the number.