Thailand plans to supply free domestic flights to foreign tourists who purchase international tickets to this country at regular prices. The program is being revived by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in response to increasing pressure on the tourism sector on account of the conflict within the Middle East.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the proposal can be resubmitted to the brand new government. This initiative was already proposed to the previous administration but has not yet been implemented and is subject to further review.
“This program is expected to encourage tourists to travel to more places in the country,” she said, as quoted by VnExpress on Tuesday (March 18).
The urgency is obvious. Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism estimates that if the conflict lasts longer than eight weeks, the country could lose about 596,000 tourists and as much as 40.9 billion baht (about $1.29 billion) in revenue.
6.5 million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand in the primary two months of 2026, down 4.2% in comparison with the identical period last yr.
Airlines call for tax cuts, Songkran flights with 30% discount
Pressure is mounting within the aviation sector on account of rising operating costs resulting from fluctuations in global oil prices. Airline Association of Thailand (AAT) airlines are calling on the federal government to think about a short lived reduction in excise duty on jet fuel on domestic flights to maintain ticket prices inexpensive.
AAT president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth stressed that such activities are crucial to maintaining Thailand’s competitiveness.
“Appropriate support measures at a time when the aviation industry is facing instability due to external factors will help strengthen Thailand’s competitiveness and support long-term economic growth,” he said, as quoted by The Nation on Friday (March 20).
In the short term, AAT member airlines including Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and VietJet Thailand have agreed so as to add special flights and reduce ticket prices by as much as 30 percent in anticipation of the 2026 Songkran Festival.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is monitoring airline ticket prices and capability, especially for domestic travel, through the holiday period from April 10 to fifteen, 2026.
Shifting the main target to Asia, China is becoming a key market
With the variety of long-haul tourists from Europe and the United States declining by as much as 30 percent, in response to The Nation, Thailand is now specializing in short-haul markets. TAT is expanding its targets to incorporate China, South Korea, Japan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Adith Chairattananon, Secretary General of the Association of Thai Travel Agencies (ATTA), noted that the Chinese market stays the industry’s best hope. The two-pronged promotional strategy between Thailand and China has proven successful, as reflected in a rise within the variety of Thai passengers on Thailand-China routes to 30-40%, up from just 10%. before the Covid-19 pandemic.
TAT may even use the remaining Thailand Summer Blast budget to support airlines in opening additional routes to major cities and secondary destinations, with the deadline for applications for support prolonged to July 2026.
Thailand is targeting 36.7 million tourist arrivals in 2026, although ongoing global geopolitical uncertainty makes achieving this goal increasingly difficult.
