panorama destination

As part of a continued expansion beyond its own borders and into foreign aviation networks, Vietjet has announced two new direct services connecting Bangkok and Chiang Rai with Udon Thani in Northeast Thailand. The news was confirmed at a recent ceremony in Bangkok, attended by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Anutin Charnvirakul, along with the country’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh.

Starting on 25 November and operating on a daily basis, the Bangkok – Udon Thani route will depart from the capital at 7.20am and arrive in Udon Thani at 8.30am, while the return flight takes off from Udon Thani at 9.10am and arrives in Bangkok 10.20am. An additional service, available three days per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday), will depart from Bangkok at 4.25pm and arrive in Udon Thani at 5.35pm. From 26 November, Vietjet will also fly from Chiang Rai to Udon Thani every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The flight departs from Chiang Rai at 7.40pm and arrives in Udon Thani at 8.45pm, while the return leg sets off from Udon Thani at 6.05pm and arrives in Chiang Rai at 7.10pm local time.

“Congratulations to Vietjet on today’s opening ceremony for the new routes of Bangkok and Chiang Rai to Udon Thani,” said Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh at the ceremony. “I am impressed by Vietjet’s outstanding efforts over the past years to achieve great business expansion not only in Vietnam but also in the region,” he continued. The expansion is expected to boost trade links between Thailand and Vietnam, while also contributing positively to the economic, cultural and tourism exchanges that take place between the two nations. This was reflected in the Minister’s closing statement, in which he said: “I wish Vietjet a great success ahead and hope the airline will transport more and more tourists from Vietnam and the region to Thailand and vice versa.”

Also in attendance was Anutin Charnvirakul, who is Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister. He expressed his satisfaction at the news from Vietjet in Thailand, stating: “the two cities of Chiang Rai and Udon Thani are [popular] destinations foreign travellers. The new routes will surely contribute to the transportation and cooperation between the two countries of Thailand and Vietnam.”

Vietjet is an international low-cost airline from Vietnam. It was the first privately owned new-age airline to be established in the country, being granted its initial approval to operate by the Vietnamese Minister of Finance in November 2007. Vietjet is an official IATA member with IOSA’s (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certificate. Currently, the airline operates a route network covering destinations nationwide, along with more than 30 regional destinations in Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Myanmar. In the past five years, Vietjet has been honoured with 32 domestic awards and nine significant international awards; the airline was named as one of the Top 500 Brands in Asia 2016 and “The Best Asian Low Cost Carrier” at the TTG Travel Awards 2015, and “The most favourite carrier in Vietnam” by the Economic Times.