TAT and Scoot welcome the New Year with inaugural Singapore–Chiang Rai flight

Thailand The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Scoot have welcomed the New Year with the launch of a new direct air service between Singapore and Chiang Rai, marking a significant expansion of international air connectivity to northern Thailand. The inaugural flight arrived at Mae Fah Luang International Airport on 1 January 2026 and was greeted with a ceremonial welcome, highlighting the importance of the new route.

The new Singapore–Chiang Rai service strengthens Chiang Rai’s position as an emerging destination for cultural, nature-based, and experiential travel, while supporting Thailand’s broader tourism strategy to disperse visitors beyond major gateways. The direct connection complements existing routes to northern Thailand and helps balance tourism flows across the region.

The service is designed to attract high-value short-haul travellers from Singapore, including repeat visitors, wellness and health-focused tourists, luxury and experience-driven travellers, active lifestyle visitors, and couples seeking special-interest travel such as honeymoons and weddings. The route also enhances opportunities for multi-destination travel within Thailand, including overland and fly-and-drive itineraries.

Scoot operates five weekly flights on the route using Embraer E190-E2 aircraft with a capacity of 112 seats. Services operate on selected weekdays and weekends, offering flexible travel options for both inbound and outbound passengers.

Singapore remains one of Thailand’s top three international source markets. In 2025, nearly one million Singaporean visitors travelled to Thailand, with arrivals expected to exceed 1.12 million in 2026. Singaporean travellers are largely independent and repeat visitors, typically taking short breaks and demonstrating strong spending potential, with continued interest in Thai cuisine, wellness, culture, and distinctive local destinations.

To support the new route, promotional activities and media engagement are being implemented to raise awareness of Chiang Rai and encourage sustainable tourism growth, reinforcing northern Thailand’s role in the country’s long-term tourism development strategy.