Thai AirAsia CEO Update
Transcript
Tassapon Bijleveld:For the past 5, 6 years, we have carried a lot of Chinese passengers, and one of the destinations in their itinerary is to go to Pattaya. So we, we would think that after we have studied the market, we said that, hey, it's not always Bangkok. They can start their journey anywhere in Thailand, and they would go around because we have flights in Phuket, in Chiang Mai, and they can just go around. And besides also that the Don Mueang Airport is quite congested now, so we're trying to move out of Don Mueang or Bangkok. And we have been analyzing and said that, hey, everyone wants to go to Pattaya, especially from people from China. So that's why we have launched 2 planes, 4 destinations, 3 of those into China and one is to Chiang Mai, so that people can come from China. So we're opening from Nanchang, we're opening from Nanning, and also to Hangzhou, to Pattaya, and also they can connect to Chiang Mai because the movie Lost in Thailand was so popular and everyone in China when they come to Bangkok they have to go to Chiang Mai. So the journey can just juggle around in Thailand using AirAsia and that's why we are launching that destination which we are operating from the 1st of October onwards. Well, that incident was something that we wish is would have happened, but I think a lot of tourists, a lot of people understand that it's just a one-time kind of circumstances, and the hiccup was about 2 weeks. All the booking, all the forward booking is back to normal now. We have continued our daily life. Even the shrine where the bombing has took place, a lot of people still go and pray every day now. So it has been back to normal, and thank you for understanding the country and Thank you for understanding that Thailand is as normal as before. We have been adding China for the past 5 years, and next year we will be expanding into India. Actually, this year we have launched Bangalore. If I remember it correct, it's like 1st of September. And next year we are launching 2 to 3 more cities in India. So it will be parallel now, China on one side and also India on another side. Okay, so that we will bring more tourists into Thailand. Out of Bangkok is quite crowded, and that's why we have a hub outside of Bangkok. Now we have a hub in Chiang Mai, up north in Phuket, next to Phuket is Krabi, and we are opening 2 more hubs next year outside of Bangkok so that we fly among the hubs and each hub will fly internationally. So there will be a new unique route that we create. And we hope that we can bring a more new market into Thailand. I mean, T A X in Thailand has been—I mean—it's very young. It's almost a year now. This month will be completely one year. So we are flying to Korea and to Incheon and two destinations in in Japan. So of course, we are looking at Australia and some part of Europe next year. But we are launching one destination to China. I wish I could tell you now, but it will be exciting. But third. 70% of the people who get on AirAsia X will connect on the fleet. So it's complementing each other nicely, and we hope that we can sell destinations beyond. For example, in Japan or in Korea, we are not getting people from Thailand. We're getting people from Myanmar, from Laos, from Cambodia, and also from Vietnam flying to Bangkok and then connect on a flight to Japan, and vice versa. People who come from Japan and Korea, they will connect to Siem Reap to see the World Heritage. So we have created those markets, so it's beyond Bangkok.
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