THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: The southern Thailand province of Krabi is set to receive a tourism boost with Singapore budget airline Tiger Airways announcing a new direct flight service commencing at the end of October.

Tiger Airways commenced a direct flight service from Singapore to Krabi in 2005, but the flights were cancelled in March 2008 when increases in ground handling charges made the service uneconomical.

The airline said since it had cancelled the flights it had received numerous requests to reintroduce the service and newly negotiated ground handling charges meant that from October 25 the flights will be reinstated.

The Singapore to Krabi flights will be the third Thailand destination operated by Tiger, which also flies from Singapore to Phuket and from Singapore to Bangkok.

Tickets for the new service will go on sale starting next Tuesday, August 4th, with one way fares starting at $S20 (about $US13.80), excluding airport taxes and charges.

Rosalynn Tay, managing director, Tiger Airways Singapore, said Krabi had always been a popular destination and the airline was, “working closely with the local tourism and hospitality industries in Thailand to ensure that the start of the popular low fares service of Tiger Airways will have a huge impact on the number of visitors”.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for July 30, 2009