Flag carrier Thai Airways International said on Wednesday it would launch direct flights from Bangkok to Johannesburg in October due to rising demand.
”Johannesburg is the hub of air travelling in Africa. It is a good connection and we can get passengers from North and East Africa,” said Wallop Bhukkanasut, Vice-President of the airline’s sales and distribution department.
The airline will operate three direct flights per week from the Thai capital to Johannesburg, Wallop said, adding the company would increase the number of direct flights from Bangkok to New York and Los Angeles in September as well.
Thai Airways currently operates four flights per week from Bangkok to New York and three flights per week to Los Angeles.
Tourism accounts for six percent of Thailand’s gross domestic product and the government forecast about 13,6-million foreign tourists would visit the kingdom in 2006. – Sapa-AFP