8-10-2023 (BANGKOK) Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is set to commence a five-day trip to Hong Kong and three ASEAN countries on Sunday. Departing from the Royal Thai Air Force’s terminal at Don Mueang Airport, the premier will travel aboard the force’s Airbus 320 aircraft bound for Hong Kong. Following his visit to Hong Kong, Mr. Srettha will continue his diplomatic tour with stops in Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia before returning to Thailand on Thursday.
During a press briefing, Prime Minister Srettha expressed that his ASEAN trip aims to strengthen diplomatic relations with these countries and enhance cooperation in various areas. In the upcoming months, the premier has also scheduled additional overseas trips to destinations such as the United States for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, as well as Japan and China. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee confirmed that the premier’s visit to China is scheduled for the middle of this month.
The agenda for Mr. Srettha’s visit to Beijing includes talks to rebuild confidence in Thailand’s tourism industry following the recent shooting incident at the Siam Paragon shopping mall on October 3, which claimed the lives of two individuals, including a Chinese tourist. Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara further stated that the premier will also discuss a potential solution to the dispute over a German submarine engine with the Chinese government. Germany has declined to permit the installation of its MTU396 diesel engine in a Chinese submarine commissioned by Thailand.
In other news, Phuket International Airport’s director-general, Monchai Tanode, announced that more flights from China will be landing on the resort island of Phuket during the upcoming high tourist season. Many airlines have already secured slots to fly to Phuket starting next month, which is expected to bring traffic to approximately 80% to 90% of pre-pandemic levels. According to Mr. Monchai, in the previous month, the majority of visitors arriving by air in Phuket were from China (44,680), followed by Russia (41,180), Australia (22,897), India (19,127), and Malaysia (14,290).
Despite the ongoing low tourist season, the number of visitors from most countries has begun to recover. On average, the number of visitors from countries that typically travel to Phuket in large numbers has reached 70% of pre-pandemic levels. Mr. Monchai anticipates this figure to rise to 87% during the high tourism season. To accommodate the expected increase in airport traffic, Phuket airport will operate around the clock throughout the high season. The airport has allocated 6 billion baht for the renovation of its international terminal, aiming to accommodate 18 million visitors annually.
