Updates and Additions to Thailand’s Airports in Q1 2025

As tourism is steadily returning to pre-COVID levels and direct flights from the US to Thailand resuming this year, transportation authorities are making some preparations and additions to cater to this upcoming influx of arrivals at Thai airports. These changes are intended to enhance visitor experiences and open up new and more affordable avenues to the Land of Smiles.

Major changes going into effect in early 2025 include an increase in flights, an update on the smoking policy of Thai airports, and new first-class bus lines originating from both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

More Flight Slots Open for Summer in Thailand

Figures from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) show a noticeable increase in daily flight slot bookings for the Northern Summer period. This period, from March to October, is not the busiest season for Thailand, so an increase in daily flights during this time is a good sign for 2025’s tourism projections.

Don Mueang Airport saw an approximately 3% decline in daily flights compared to pre-COVID levels, but all of Thailand’s other airports saw significant increases.

• Chiang Mai Airport – 17% increase in daily flights
• Phuket Airport – 7% increase in daily flights
• Suvarnabhumi Airport – 16% increase in daily flights

Overall, the Department of Airports reports a 43% increase in international flight slots for this time period, along with a 6% increase for domestic flights.

With more flights available daily across all airlines and routes, travelers will benefit from increased choice and possibly lower prices depending on demand. Travelers should also benefit from fewer overbookings, a common criticism of modern airlines, so they are less likely to have their plans changed against their will.

Ban on Smoking Rooms in Airports Unlikely to Be Lifted Soon, If Ever

A strict tobacco control law that went into effect in 2019 removed indoor smoking rooms, including those found in Thailand’s airports. Airports of Thailand (AoT), the public company that operates Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai airports, has been trying to get their smoking rooms back ever since.

AoT President Kirati Kijmanawat pointed out that competing airports in the region, including those found in Singapore, Korea, and Japan, have smoking rooms in their airports. He also claims they’ve received a sharp increase in passenger complaints, and that illegal smoking is now taking place in restrooms and other inappropriate areas as smokers try to evade the ban, going so far as to suggest that this is a fire hazard.

Public Health Officials in No Rush to Bring Smoking Back to Thai Airports

Unfortunately for AoT, Public Health Minister and Chair of the National Tobacco Control Committee Somsak Thepsutin is in no rush to return smoking to Thailand’s airports. While he has ordered a working group to assess the impact of smoking rooms inside the terminals of international airports, he made it clear that there was “no timeframe set on the task.”

His office’s position, supported by both anti-smoking groups and the UN Human Rights Council, states that the public’s health trumps concerns for smokers’ comfort and potential tourism hits. He also countered by arguing that many of the largest and busiest airports in the world, such as those in the USA, are smoke-free and experience negligible consequences.

While the public health study on the impact of Thai airport smoking rooms continues, smokers shouldn’t hold their breath.

New First-Class Bus Lines Direct from Airports

The state-run Transport Co. will be opening up two new bus lines: Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya, and Don Mueang Airport to Hua Hin. 

These “first-class” buses will, according to the company’s Managing Director Atthawit Rakchamroon, provide visitors with a convenient and comfortable way to travel to secondary destinations directly after arriving.

Currently, the bus schedules are:

• Two round trips daily between Don Mueang and Hua Hin. The trip should take around 3.5 hours and cost 200 baht each way.
• Four round trips daily between Suvarnabhumi and Pattaya. The trip should take around 2 hours and cost 122 baht each way.

Tickets can be purchased in the passenger terminals of both airports, but no details for online bookings have been provided.

Flying into or out of Thailand This Summer? Streamline Your Travels with Siam Legal

Siam Legal is a full-service law firm and visa agency that’s been helping travelers to Thailand, local Thais, and resident expats alike secure their visas for over 20 years. If you’re planning on a Thailand trip this year, or you’ll be flying abroad from Thailand, contact our visa consultants to ensure a smooth and stress-free trip.

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Contact Siam Legal today, and you can strike immigration issues off your list of things to worry about on your travels this year.

Category: Travel