On July 25, 2024, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co Ltd (Aerothai) announced a significant expansion in the volume of flights between Thailand and China. The anticipated increase, driven by a new permanent visa waiver policy, will see the number of annual flights surge from under 100,000 to an impressive 200,000.
The visa waiver policy, which has been in effect since March 2024, permits both Thai and Chinese passport holders to travel between the two countries without a visa for up to 30 days. This development is expected to have a profound impact on air travel. According to Aerothai President Nopasit Chakpitak, key routes such as Macao-Hong Kong, Hainan-eastern China, Laos-Vietnam-China, and Yunnan-western China currently account for 60% of flights to China and make up 20% of Thailand’s international flights.
Nopasit projected that this year alone, flights to China will total approximately 86,150, reflecting a substantial 126% increase from the previous year. The recovery of passenger airlines and the air logistics sector post-Covid-19 has led to a revival of existing routes and the creation of new ones to economically significant destinations.
Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, has emerged as a particularly popular destination, with 5,896 flights from Thailand recorded over the past eight months. Nopasit anticipated that flights to Chengdu would surpass 8,850 this year, marking a dramatic 265% increase from the previous year.
To mitigate potential congestion, Aerothai is in discussions with Chinese and Laotian authorities about opening additional aviation routes. This initiative aims to alleviate current bottlenecks along flight paths established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in northwestern Laos. These new routes are projected to accommodate flights to major Chinese economic cities, including Chengdu, Tianfu, Kunming, Guiyang, Chongqing, and Xi’an, with an expected opening by 2026 to support up to 200,000 flights annually.
In related developments, the Tourism Council of Thailand released a report on July 4, 2024, highlighting that a significant number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand in the second quarter of this year were drawn by the country’s cuisine and exotic fruits. The survey, which included 205 Chinese nationals from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, provided valuable insights into tourist spending habits and preferences.
