PUBLISHED : 25 Dec 2023 at 04:30
Both the Transport Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand are being urged to keep airfares at reasonable prices, after consumers cried foul over expensive airfares during the weekends and long holidays.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a list-MP of the United Thai Nation Party, said yesterday both should consider interventions to make air travel affordable which in return will benefit the government’s tourism promotion policy.
His remarks follow complaints on social media about skyrocketing air tickets from Bangkok to Krabi, a popular tourist destination, during weekends and long holidays. The price from some airlines exceeds 10,000 baht.
The MP said expensive airfares during long holidays are now the norm and urged state agencies to regularly examine the prices to ensure customers are not being exploited.
He said authorities should also inform the public about the airfare structure and price regulations, adding the prices of last-minute bookings tend to surge, so people should make travel plans and book tickets in advance to avoid expensive airfares.
He said expensive airfares add to travellers’ burdens as they return to their home provinces.
“State agencies should take action to make airlines adjust their prices. They may consider adding flights, aircraft or airlines to make the market more competitive,” he said.