Hanoi (VNA) – The third COVID-19 wave that hasbeen hitting Thailand from April this year has worsen the situation of thestruggling Thai aviation industry due to uncertainty over the COVID-19 outbreakamong Thai and foreign tourists.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand(CAAT), the volume of passengers and flights in the second quarter of this yeardropped by 35.5 percent and 27.8 percent year on year, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Airports of Thailand (AOT) NitinaiSirismatthakarn said that in the first six months of this year, the volume ofpassengers at six airports dropped to an average of 10,000 per day – an 80 percent contraction year on year.
Citing the Bank of Thailand's forecast, the CAAT said manynegative sentiments pressured the aviation industry, such as the vaccinationrate and sluggish recovery in the tourism sector's recovery.
The agency held that if the government can procure anddistribute 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines within this year, herdimmunity is expected to be created within the first quarter of next year whichis too late because the country's tourism season will begin from October thisyear.
The CAAT said the slowdown in the tourism sector's recoveryalso affected the aviation industry because Thailand was unable to easequarantine measures within the second quarter of this year, while the crisis islikely to prolong.
It added that the number of foreign tourists visitingThailand this year is expected to drop to 700,000 people and 10 million peoplenext year, compared to the previous forecast of 3 million people this year and21.5 million people in 2022.
The authority does not expect the aviation industry torecover significantly this year as the Covid-19 crisis is becoming more severe,while Thailand has imposed travel restrictions which directly affect thetourism sector.
On August 3, Thailand put 40 percent of its population intoDark Red zones with strict control measures./.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand(CAAT), the volume of passengers and flights in the second quarter of this yeardropped by 35.5 percent and 27.8 percent year on year, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Airports of Thailand (AOT) NitinaiSirismatthakarn said that in the first six months of this year, the volume ofpassengers at six airports dropped to an average of 10,000 per day – an 80 percent contraction year on year.
Citing the Bank of Thailand's forecast, the CAAT said manynegative sentiments pressured the aviation industry, such as the vaccinationrate and sluggish recovery in the tourism sector's recovery.
The agency held that if the government can procure anddistribute 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines within this year, herdimmunity is expected to be created within the first quarter of next year whichis too late because the country's tourism season will begin from October thisyear.
The CAAT said the slowdown in the tourism sector's recoveryalso affected the aviation industry because Thailand was unable to easequarantine measures within the second quarter of this year, while the crisis islikely to prolong.
It added that the number of foreign tourists visitingThailand this year is expected to drop to 700,000 people and 10 million peoplenext year, compared to the previous forecast of 3 million people this year and21.5 million people in 2022.
The authority does not expect the aviation industry torecover significantly this year as the Covid-19 crisis is becoming more severe,while Thailand has imposed travel restrictions which directly affect thetourism sector.
On August 3, Thailand put 40 percent of its population intoDark Red zones with strict control measures./.
VNA
