The bubble will commence later this month.
By Ashima Sethi
Yesterday, Thailand’s cabinet approved the much-awaited air travel bubble between India and Thailand, which will go into action later this month. The news was confirmed by Deputy Government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek, while India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation also posted on their website confirming the arrangement.
The bubble has been in discussion since last year when India saw a swift rise in COVID-19 infections during a catastrophic second wave, resulting in commercial flights being suspended between the two countries. Now that the bubble has been approved it means that Indian and Thai airlines can operate flights between the two countries with more ease, offering more opportunities to travel freely just as long as travellers meet the necessary visa requirements.
As of currently, only Indian, Thai, Nepali, Bhutanese and other nationals who originate from Thailand or India who hold valid visas for either country will be eligible to fly. This documentation will be assessed by each respective airline that will be participating in the travel bubble.
The decision to launch the travel bubble is advantageous to many. Firstly, airlines have had a difficult few years experiencing a revenue plunge due to the pandemic; secondly, a big part of the Kingdom’s tourism market is made up of Indian travellers so this decision will help increase the number of tourists coming to Thailand. Of course, the air bubble will also be helpful with the incoming Indian wedding season.
