Direct flights on Thai Airways International between Thailand and Belgium are set to resume on Dec 1, after four years of suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thailand remains one of the most popular holiday destinations among Belgians, second only to the United States, despite the four-year absence of direct flights, according to Skander Nasra, the Belgian ambassador to Thailand.
Speaking at a reception held to announce the return of the THAI service, he said he was confident that the resumption of direct flights would take the number of Belgian tourists visiting Thailand beyond the figures reported before the pandemic.
In a bid to boost trade and investment, Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will launch a fast-track visa application service for Thais wishing to do business in Belgium.
The resumption of direct flights to Brussels will also bring Thailand closer to the rest of the world, Mr Nasra said, noting the city is the second diplomatic capital of the world, after Washington DC in the United States.
He said that Belgium hopes to conclude the European Union-Thailand Free Trade Agreement, as it will benefit not only the economies of the two countries but the Asean and EU blocs.
“The return of Thai Airways to Brussels is a return to normality. [Once the flights resume], I can assure you that thousands of Belgians will be more than happy to see THAI planes in Brussels,” he added.
Chai Eamsiri, chief executive officer of THAI, said the flag carrier would fly daily to Brussels starting on Dec 1, using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
“The return of this route is not only a symbol of our commitment to enhance bilateral relations but also an opportunity to discover and promote new possibilities in trade, tourism and investment,” he added.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 114,016 Belgians visited Thailand in 2019. Last year, with no direct flights between the two countries, the number dropped to 85,512.
With the resumption of daily direct flights, the number of Belgian tourists visiting Thailand is expected to exceed 100,000 by the end of this year, Mr Chai said.
