The Transport Ministry has ordered six domestic airlines to reduce their air fares by 30% and to increase the number of flights by 124 during the Songkran festival, between April 11 and 17.
Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said yesterday that the fare cuts and flight increases are intended to facilitate travel during the festival and ensure that air fares are reasonable.
The addition flights will add 25,000 seats during the period, from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Krabi, Samui, Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Phuket, Khon Kaen, Hat Yai and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Tickets can be booked in advance, from March 11 to 20, at the ticket counters, websites and call centres of Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai Air Asia, Nok Air, Thai Lions Air and Thai Viet Jet.
Suriya said that he had also ordered Airports of Thailand, the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand and all concerned agencies to provide convenience to all passengers, adding that no passengers will be left stranded at airports.
Also, the State Railway of Thailand has been ordered to add 26 trains on routes from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thai and Yala during the Songkran holidays.
The state-run Transport Company will add 1,000 buses, to accommodate the additional 100,000 passengers expected to travel to their home provinces by bus.
The M6 motorway, from Bang Pa-in to Nakhon Ratchasima, and the M81, from Bang Yai through Nakhon Pathom to Kanchanaburi, will also be opened for trial runs during the same period.
Toll fees will also be exempted for passenger cars on five expressways.
Suriya said he has instructed the Land Transport Department to mandate that all buses travelling distances exceeding 400km must have two drivers working in shifts. If there is only one driver, they most stop every four hours for at least a 30-minute rest.
