Two new airlines - Hong Kong Express and China Rich Airways - will operate direct flights from Hong Kong to the Andaman coast.

Hong Kong Express will offer two flights a week with 76 seats each from Hong Kong to Phuket. The service will begin on August 4 and target the middle to high-end market.

China Rich Airways next month begins two 129-seat flights a week from Hong Kong direct to Krabi, which recently finished expanding its passenger terminal.

Thailand's Orient Thai will start chartered flights from Hong Kong to Phuket this month, but the service is expected to last only a few months.

And Thai Airways International (THAI) will begin twice-weekly flights from Pusan, South Korea, to Phuket, the first time for THAI to fly the route. The new service will run from October 15 to Sept 30, 2007.

THAI hopes to entice more high-end South Korean tourists to return to Phuket and nearby spots like Krabi, Koh Lanta and Koh Samui. Targeted tourists include golfers, spa visitors, honeymooners and families.

In addition, Hong Kong's Dragon Air, which halted its Hong Kong-Phuket service after the tsunami, is considering reopening the route.

Phuket Tourism Association vice president for marketing Panu Maswongsa said tourism in Phuket and nearby places was recovering.

"The return of many airlines to Phuket is an indication of increased demand from abroad," said Panu. He said airlines that had returned thus far included ones from Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Europe.

South Koreans now make up the largest proportion of tourists in Phuket, outpacing Westerners. Chinese, Japanese and Singaporean tourist numbers have all returned to pre-tsunami levels.

Panu said Phuket's private sector went on a road show to attract tourists in Russia, India and the Middle East. As a result, the island is expected to welcome more visitors by the end of the rainy season.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation