THAI to launch direct flight to Sapporo

BANGKOK, October 24 (TNA) - Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, is scheduled to operate a new route from Bangkok to Sapporo on Japan's Hokkaido Island and vice versa on October 30 to serve international passengers. New THAI President Sorajak Kasemsuwan told journalists Wednesday that the national airline expects warm welcome, especially from Japanese passengers, for the newly-launched direct flight service between Bangkok and the 4th largest Japanese city. Sorajak explained that international travellers from Hokkaido to Thailand have had to first fly to Tokyo for direct flights to Bangkok so far. According to the THAI president, the national flag carrier will initially operate three flights a week on the new direct route and is prepared to introduce daily flights on the route in the future. THAI executives, meanwhile, attended a Buddhist ceremony to anoint a newly-acquired Airbus A330-300 aircraft of the national airline. The THAI president said the national flag carrier has also received two other planes to cater international passengers on major regional routes, namely from Bangkok to Beijing, Shanghai, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka and vice versa. THAI has possessed 24 advance Airbus A330-300 airplanes, produced in Europe, out of its fleet of 94 passenger planes totally. (TNA)