1 Million Foreign Arrivals Expected at AOT Airports This Songkran

[webfact]

 

by Paul Rujopakarn

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) has indicated that around one million tourists are expected to arrive in Thailand via six international airports from April 11-17.

 

According to AOT Director Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, the long Songkran holiday period should see increased travel activity among Thai and foreign tourists following the government’s relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

 

The AOT operates six airports, namely Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.

 

The AOT director said the agency anticipates 9,310 flights between April 11 and 17, an increase of 14.48% over the same period last year. Domestic flights are meanwhile projected to total 6,820, a decrease of 2.79%, while international flights should total 2,490 for a 123.14% increase.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

 

Nitinai added that officials at all six airports have been instructed to strictly adhere to health measures imposed by the Ministry of Public Health to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 

To streamline the check-in process for departing passengers, AOT has installed common-use passenger processing and common-use bag drop systems at each facility.

 

From April 11-17, Suvarnabhumi Airport will also waive parking fees for its long parking zone, or Zone C, and provide shuttle buses to and from the zone every 15 minutes. Additionally, from April 13-18, passengers can park their vehicles for free at the X-Terminal building.

 

Nitinai advised departing passengers to arrive at airports at least two or three hours prior to departure, in order to allow sufficient time for checking in and avoiding any unexpected delays caused by the sudden spike in passenger numbers.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-04-13

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[ikke1959]

Local flights included....????

[aussiexpat]

But TAT just said Monday that 444,000 had entered Thailand in the first 3 months of 2022 and that 341,000 are expected in the 2nd 3 months

 

Now they expect 1 million to enter in one week 11-17 April ???? 

[madmitch]

My guess is that something's been lost in translation and the 1 million relates to all arrivals.

 

Suvarnabhumi's seeing around 10,000 foreign arrivals per day, Phuket about 2,000. I'm not even sure the other airport are open to international flights.

[BayArea]

The article means 1 million Thais returning home for Songkran ????

[Karma80]

6 minutes ago, madmitch said:

My guess is that something's been lost in translation and the 1 million relates to all arrivals.

 

Suvarnabhumi's seeing around 10,000 foreign arrivals per day, Phuket about 2,000. I'm not even sure the other airport are open to international flights.

I was just thinking that. How do you go from 10,000 a day to 110,000. It's Easter, not an evacuation ????

[Iamfalang]

lots of travelers ..... lots of police.....  stay safe, don't drive if you don't have to!!!!

 

7 days of death!!!

 

1 million a year  week day hour minute  second!!!!  

 

Too bad, sellers (some, not all you crazies) give falang the dirty eye and mask adjustment and want the money, not a friendship!!!

 

times have changed...... I'm off to spray soi dogs with water........I'm joking, I'm giving soi dogs lottery tickets and free bank loans that will go up to 25% interest after 11 seconds

[BKKTRAVELER]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The AOT director said the agency anticipates 9,310 flights between April 11 and 17, an increase of 14.48% over the same period last year. Domestic flights are meanwhile projected to total 6,820, a decrease of 2.79%, while international flights should total 2,490 for a 123.14% increase.

So the 1 million figure should clearly be domestic and foreign tourism combined. The title is very misleading. It's still not a bad numbers of foreign flights though, all things considered.

[Misterwhisper]

Mr. Nitinai is going to be in for a rude, rude awakening.

 

Provided that his figure of 2,490 international flights over the April 11-17 period is correct, it would mean an average of around 120,000 international arrivals per day if the lofty 1 million total is to be reached at all.

 

That would require each of these 2,490 inbound international flights to carry about 400 passengers.

The only three aircraft types capable of doing so are the Boeing 747, the Boeing 777-9, and the Airbus A380 -- and only IF they are all loaded to maximum passenger capacity, which is an impossibility under Covid-19 mandated seating arrangements. All other aircraft types have maximum capacities of well under 400 passengers.

 

So unless Mr. Nitinai has reliable information that ALL of these expected international arrival flights are of the three types described above AND that they are ALL booked out down to the very last seat too, it's just not working out arithmetically. 

 

But here is a clue:

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

The AOT director said the agency anticipates 9,310 flights between April 11 and 17, an increase of 14.48% over the same period last year. Domestic flights are meanwhile projected to total 6,820, a decrease of 2.79%, while international flights should total 2,490 for a 123.14% increase.

 It looks very much as if Nitinai ADDED UP domestic AND international flights. His projected figure is NOT for international arrivals only, though the article quoted him as saying exactly that (cf. "Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) has indicated that around one million tourists. are expected to arrive in Thailand").

 

In my opinion Mr. Nitinan can consider himself lucky if international arrivals even reach a quarter of his projected 1 million within the ridiculously short time span of just 7 days. And let's not forget that a sizeable proportion of international arrivals are going to be Thai nationals returning to their home country for a family visit during the Songkran holiday, i.e. they are NOT tourists. 

[mtls2005]

Fever check on bed #1

 

1,000,000 in seven days.

 

That's 142,800 per day.

 

With a recent run rate of 10,000 per day.

 

Yeah. Sure.

 

 

[RafPinto]

1 Million?

 

No ploplem like my ex would say.

[stoutfella]

I'll be very interested to see how close they actually are in that assessment.

[StayinThailand2much]

Around 10,000 daily international arrivals, okay, let's say 20,000 x 7 days = 140,000... They really need new calculators! ????

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

But TAT just said Monday that 444,000 had entered Thailand in the first 3 months of 2022 and that 341,000 are expected in the 2nd 3 months

 

Now they expect 1 million to enter in one week 11-17 April ???? 

They must be counting border jumpers?

[metisdead]

A post using a trolling image has been removed.  

[Lingba]

The mathematical outbursts from the geniuses at TAT never ends

[TheFishman1]

They relaxed the requirements for entering Thailand lol get rid of a thia pass

TIT

[mancub]

It's quite simply an estimated 1 million people using 6 airports via an anticipated 9310 flights. 

107 people per flight. Thai nationals and foreigners (domestic and international combined), 

Totally mis-leading headline.

[ThailandRyan]

Feeling like a drunken sailor who keeps hearing different daily drivel by voices just wanting their 15 minutes of fame and being in the spotlight.  For Christ's sake these shills are worse then the snake oil merchants of the old west.

[Thailand]

That's good news then! 

 

Going to be difficult to get accommodation.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Local flights included....????

Even Soi dogs should they stray within the perimeter fence.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

But TAT just said Monday that 444,000 had entered Thailand in the first 3 months of 2022 and that 341,000 are expected in the 2nd 3 months

 

Now they expect 1 million to enter in one week 11-17 April ???? 

One million tourist who want to come and wash there feet at a temple?

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The AOT director said the agency anticipates 9,310 flights between April 11 and 17, an increase of 14.48% over the same period last year. Domestic flights are meanwhile projected to total 6,820, a decrease of 2.79%, while international flights should total 2,490 for a 123.14% increase.

1 million foreign arrivals on 2,490 international flights? That doesn't compute. Try again.

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Nitinai added that officials at all six airports have been instructed to strictly adhere to health measures imposed by the Ministry of Public Health to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

I flew from Bangkok to a provincial airport today. When I had done the same trip late last year, my vaccination status was checked upon arrival. Today, nothing. Strictly adhere to which measures exactly?

[Millcx]

Better than the funny Papers with bars closed at 11pm 55555555555555

[Mavideol]

what's wrong with these people, their contradictions/BS is a non stopping affair  555

 

Citing TAT data, Yuthasak said there were about 444,000 international visitors during the first three months of the year, a 30% increase from the previous quarter, generating some 34 billion baht in revenue.

 

The second quarter of this year is meanwhile projected to see about 341,000 foreign visitors, bringing in at least 23 billion baht in revenue.

Edited April 13, 2022 by Mavideol

[3NUMBAS]

airlines are still short of pilots as so many retired early and wont be back

[alation]

Thats really good for those that are really needing and relying on the tourist to return. 

On that I will be one of them to get back to Thailand in may so can someone let me know who is best to buy the covid insurance from for my two weeks in Thailand, I would welcome the feedback from your knowledge on this please. 

[overt2016]

Just where do these boffins get off?

The day they start claiming realistic figures will be the day people will have faith in them

Pulling figures out of the air gives peope false hope.

So please shut the hell up and concentrate on your job.

Shouting out claptrap like this benefits nobody.

[Toby1947]

And I expect to become work middleweight champion at 74 yrs old and 15 stone.