JEDDAH, 19 May 2005 — Air services between Saudi Arabia and Thailand are being restored after a long gap of time. This follows an agreement signed between Saudi Arabian Airlines and Thai Airways International in Jeddah.
A high-level delegation from Thailand was here to sign the deal with top executives of the Kingdom’s national airline.
“There will be nine flights a week from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to Thailand,” Muhamad Lutfee Useng, first secretary at the Thai Embassy in Riyadh, told Arab News yesterday. He did not indicate when air services will resume, but said they were likely to be reintroduced effective from the next winter schedule. The national carriers of both countries will now be operating services on a reciprocal basis.
“This is good news for the travel trade and also for passengers traveling to Thailand,” said a major travel agent. “Since the discontinuance of air traffic between the two countries, those heading Bangkok were forced to travel by other Far East airlines,” he added.
Travel agencies in general welcomed the development and hoped that the restoration of air traffic would boost tourism to the scenic places in Thailand.
Both airlines discontinued their services between the two countries some years ago.
Meanwhile, a high-level 21-member Thai business delegation will visit the Kingdom from May 20-23.
The purpose of the visit is not only to explore trade and investment opportunities in the Kingdom but also to build contacts and networking between the two business communities.
The mission consists of the chief executive officers of Major Thai companies and manufacturers of electric home appliances, construction equipments, plastics, electronics, and agriculture products. They also include those involved in beauty and spa, garments, engineering and financial consultancy.
“This is the first visit of a high-level business delegation from Thailand to the Kingdom in the past 15 years,” Useng said.
The bilateral trade reached $2.9 billion in 2004, with the balance remaining in favor of the Kingdom.
The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry will host business meetings between local businessmen and their visiting Thai counterparts on May 22.
While in the Kingdom, the delegation will also visit and meet with senior officials of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, and Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu.
