Deputy PM Moves to Draw Chinese Tourists Back to Thailand

BEIJING, Nov 6 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on Monday met with the CEO of Spring Airlines Ltd, the China's largest low-cost airline, to discuss a plan to attract tourists from China's big cities to Thailand after Chinese tourists were scared off by a number of incidents. The government has accordingly moved to support a tourism promotion campaign proposed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International Public Co Ltd and the Airports of Thailand aimed at stimulating tourism for the remaining months of the year. The Ministry of Finance as well as the Immigration Department is also involved in the design of a tourism promotion package that will be tabled for cabinet approval within the month. Spring Airlines currently operates 194 routes from China to international destinations, and flys around 1,200 flights into Thailand every month mainly to Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani and Krabi. Significantly, it accounts for one fifth of all Chinese tourists flying to the country. During the meeting Spring Airlines announced its desire to work with Thai Airways International to jointly develop passenger routes. (TNA)