The governor of Surat Thani has asked Thai Smile Airways not to cease its flight services to the southern province in order to protect its tourism.
Governor Wichawut Jinto said on Sunday that people earlier complained to him that Thai Smile Airways would stop its flight services on Oct 1.
"It's very disheartening that Thai Smile will stop flights on the Suvarnabhumi-Surat Thani route as it is a popular airline here," he said.
The governor said that more passengers were using the flight services to Surat Thani after the Covid-19 pandemic. He said local and foreign tourists were visiting Surat Thani and also then heading from the airport to nearby provinces such as Chumphon, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga and Ranong.
"Surat Thani airport is like a Suvaranbhumi airport of the upper South because it is about two hours' drive away from nearby provinces," Mr Wichawut said, referring to Suvarnabhumi, the biggest airport in the country.
In the first half of this year, Surat Thani airport served 695,682 passengers, the governor said. He asked Thai Smile Airways to maintain its flight services to Surat Thani to support tourism in his province and for the convenience of those who visit.
Business operators in Surat Thani said Thai Airways and its subsidiary Thai Smile Airways had operated flighs to the southern province for about four decades.