Bangalore: Encouraged by excellent passenger load rate of its flights from four Indian metros, Thai Airways International today (Apr 21, 2004) announced introduction of flights in Bangalore-Bangkok sector and said it has plans launch flights from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jaipur and Kochi.

Passenger load rate in its daily flights from Delhi to Bangkok is 98to 99 per cent, three weekly flights from Mumbai 96 to 97 per cent and Kolkata 86 per cent and four weekly flights from Chennai 85 to 86 per cent, the national carrier of Thailand's general manager to India, Pricha Nawongs, told a news conference in Bangalore.

Inaugural flight of the four weekly flights from Bangalore to Bangkok was on March 29 and the load factor in the last three weeks was on an average 80 to 85 per cent, Nawongs said.

He said frequency of flights from Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai would be increased and it would be made daily ones this year, a move that is allowed under the open sky policy between India and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).

Thai has plans to operate flights from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jaipur and Kochi in the next two to five years time frame, Nawongs said.

Pointing out that India is considered as one of the fastest and biggest developing markets, he said the number of tourist arrivals to Thailand from India has seen a growth of 10 per cent and 50 per cent for 2002 and 2003 respectively, and currently it stands at 2.8 lakh.