Thammanat plans to cut AOT airport fees to entice Chinese tourists back to Thailand

Deputy Prime Minister Captain Thammanat Prompao, accompanied by Tourism and Sports Minister Attakorn Sirilatthayakorn, met with tourism partners in Beijing, including UTour, Caissa, Qunar, Tongcheng, China Comfort Tourism, China Travel Group, 6renyou, ZX-Tour, Hainan Airlines and Air China.

Thammanat said the mission aimed to gather feedback from Chinese travel operators, particularly on measures to encourage more Chinese tourists to visit Thailand. He emphasised that tourist safety remains a top priority for the Thai government, ensuring the protection of both life and property. Coordination has been established between the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Royal Thai Police, the Tourist Police Bureau, and the Immigration Bureau to ensure visitors are well cared for throughout their stay.

He also announced support measures for international airlines, instructing the Department of Airports to consider reducing landing and parking charges at Airports of Thailand (AOT)’s six major airports—Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, and Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai—to lower operational costs for airlines opening new routes or increasing flight frequencies to Thailand.

“These measures will provide a strong incentive for foreign airlines to add flights to Thailand, helping distribute tourists more evenly and stimulate regional economies,” Thammanat said. “This visit reinforces the close Thailand-China tourism relationship, a key economic sector. We want China to be confident that Thailand is ready to welcome tourists with clear measures regarding safety, service standards, and destination development.”