Thailand To Open Consulate In Chennai, India

Thailand to open consulate in Chennai

CHENNAI: Thailand is opening a consulate in Chennai and starting a Bangalore-Bangkok flight to woo tourist traffic from south India.

Thai ambassador Chinasak Thanetsnant said that Bangkok was the gateway to the US, Australia and to most Southeast Asian countries. "We have found that in the year 2001-2002, traffic in the Chennai-Bangkok sector increased by 25 percent", he said.

With both countries deciding on better trade and economic relations, traffic could increase in the sector. Thai Airways operates with 93 percent full cabin capacity in flights between Chennai and Bangkok, said Preecha Nawong, the airline's India Operations General Manager.

The new flights to Bangkok from Chennai, which began since late October this year now take off thrice a week. With the introduction of Dubai-Chennai-Bangkok flights, officials said they expected increased trade and investment between the two nations.

A large number of passengers came from Bangalore to Chennai to take the Bangkok flight, which is why Thai Airways had taken the decision to start a direct flight from the Karnataka capital, said officials.

--Agents 2003-11-26