Thai Lion Air is considering operating flights to Nakhon Phanom as part of the government's policy of promoting tourism in secondary tourism cities.
Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri said yesterday that she had assigned the Department of Airports (DoA) to find ways to add more flights to less visited cities and turn them into primary tourism hubs.
This initiative aligns with the ministry's "Transport for Thailand's Opportunities" policy, which aims to enhance the country's economic and social development through travel and transport, she said.
Ms Manaporn said that in a recent meeting with the DoA, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand expressed a willingness to relax regulations to favour airlines interested in serving secondary cities. She also said Thai Lion Air, which is looking to add a new route to Nakhon Phanom, may be allowed to do so by cutting red tape. The airline has affirmed it can operate flights to the northeastern province and is discussing the feasibility of this with local agencies.
Meanwhile, the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) confirmed its commitment to support domestic flight routes with a 25% service fee discount. It will also organise short-haul routes linking Laos, Vietnam and Nakhon Phanom if airlines want to add new international flights.
Currently, flights between Bangkok and Nakhon Phanom are operated exclusively by Thai AirAsia, at the rate of three a day. Due to limited options, many passengers choose to fly to Sakon Nakhon, a nearby province, before travelling by land to Nakhon Phanom to save on fares, which are sometimes as high as 5,500 baht for a one-way ticket.
With Thai Lion Air set to add four aircraft to its fleet by the end of this year and 14 more in 2025, the airline said it sees Nakhon Phanom as a promising tourist destination.