The Airports of Thailand (AoT) expects a jump in passenger traffic at all international airports over the New Year weekend.
Kerati Kijmanawat, the AoT president, toured Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Chiang Mai airports on Friday to inspect the facilities for handling passenger movements in advance of the anticipated surge of passengers during the New Year holiday.
Mr Kerati said air traffic from Friday till Jan 4 was projected to rise, with Suvarnabhumi Airport expected to welcome 873,441 passengers from 5,593 flights during the period, or 177,920 passengers from 968 flights per day.
Don Mueang Airport is predicted to receive 5,593 flights and 873,441 passengers during the period, while Chiang Mai Airport will receive 180,990 passengers from 1,234 flights over the same span, he added.
Mr Kerati said he has emphasised that airport preparedness, efficiency and services are top priorities, with passengers' safety in mind.
Waterfront magic: A tourist boat cruises along the Chao Phraya River yesterday before passing under the Memorial Bridge. Night cruising, which usually includes dinner and music, is one of the popular activities among tourists visiting Bangkok. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
He also ordered traffic management to be streamlined for incoming passengers at Don Mueang Airport, which caters mostly to low-cost carriers.
The baggage conveyor belts and the common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks for speedy passenger check-ins were also inspected to ensure they operate efficiently, as per Mr Kerati's order.
Meanwhile, a rise in air traffic is also anticipated for Phuket International Airport, with 63,836 passengers from at least 333 flights expected to land at the airport from Friday through to Jan 1, or at least 15,959 people from 83 flights a day. These are mainly domestic flights, of which 36,026 passengers from at least 271 flights were expected to enter the island during the period.
Bookings for 101,556 rooms available at 1,890 hotels in Phuket are expected to reach 81.69% over the next four days, earning the province at least 8.3 billion baht in tourism revenue, said Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Phuket office.