Thai Hotel Association Warns of Weak Flight Growth to Phuket and Krabi Ahead of High Season

Key summary

Mr. Tian Prasit Chaiyaphatnan, President of the Thai Hotel Association (THA), stated on October 20 that flight data from the Immigration Bureau as of October 17, 2026, shows a divergence between Phuket and Krabi. While Phuket maintained connections with the Middle East with increased flights but only slight passenger growth, Krabi suffered significantly from a drop in direct flights. Overall inbound flights to Thailand grew by 5.8% in the final quarter, though this was slower than many major destinations and lower than the global international aviation expansion of 2.5%. The top five source markets for flights to Thailand were China (+21.6%), Malaysia (+1.9%), India (-4.6%), Russia (-22.5%), and South Korea (-20.5%). Analysts from Kasikorn Research Center noted that flight recovery remains concentrated in Bangkok and Phuket, with risks including geopolitical issues, flooding, and high fuel costs potentially slowing airline expansion.