The Cabinet has approved the establishment of an air travel bubble with India, which is scheduled to begin later this month.
Air Bubbles have been the way countries are allowing travellers to move from one destination to another, as regular scheduled flights stand suspended.
According to Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek, the bubble, proposed by the Ministry of Transport, was forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration following the conclusion of the deal with Delhi. The bubble was established following the suspension of commercial flights between the two nations in late March due to an outbreak of COVID-19 infections in India.
The spokesperson added that the agreement provides direct flights between Thailand and India, which are expected to commence later this month. Only Thai, Indian, Nepali and Bhutanese nationals, as well as those nationalities originating in Thailand or India and possessing a valid visa to enter either country, will be able to fly under the arrangement. Airlines will also be responsible for conducting background checks on passengers prior to granting boarding passes.
Passengers planning to travel to Thailand should keep in mind that they must meet all travel requirements, and also could be facing health control measures. Thailand is a major tourist destination for Indians.
Rachada said the resumption of commercial flights between Thailand and India will provide relief to companies operating the route, whose earnings have been impacted by the pandemic. She added that resumed air travel from India will significantly increase the number of overall visitors to Thailand.
It has been reported that there will be five flights per week between Delhi and Bangkok, while Mumbai and Bangkok will get three times a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Flights between Bangkok and Chennai will fly three times a week, and Bengaluru on the other hand will get two flights per week.
On the other hand, India is looking to restart regular scheduled flights from next month after two years. The tentative date as of now is March 15, 2022.
