Thailand has secured a new direct air route from Saudi Arabia after Riyadh Air launched its first Riyadh to Bangkok service on September 3, part of a wider push to draw more high-spending visitors from the Middle East.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed the inaugural flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport, calling the new connection a boost for a market it considers key to long-haul tourism growth. The airline followed up that evening with a gala dinner at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok to mark the occasion.
Officials on hand for the arrival included Deputy Minister of Transport Phattrapong Phattraprasit, Ministry of Tourism and Sports spokesperson Pasakorn Rangsiwatanasak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Chiravadee Khunsub, Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn, and Riyadh Air chief executive Tony Douglas.
The inaugural flight left King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at 10.15pm on September 2 and touched down in Bangkok at 10.35am on September 3. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Thailand, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Alsuhaibani, was on board, a gesture officials pointed to as a sign of closer ties between the two countries.
Chiravadee said the new service gives travellers easier access to Bangkok and beyond, and should help TAT and its partners reach family, luxury, wellness and medical tourism segments more effectively. She added that stronger direct connectivity is central to turning market potential into lasting visitor growth.
Route details
The Riyadh to Bangkok service is Riyadh Air’s 14th route overall, flown on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with 290 seats. The airline will run three flights a week to start, departing Riyadh on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Bangkok on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, before scaling up to seven flights a week in October. At the initial schedule, the route adds around 3,840 inbound seats a month to Thailand.
Later on September 3, Riyadh Air hosted the “TAT x Riyadh Air, A New Era of Travel Gala Dinner 2026” at The Athenee Hotel. Ambassador Alsuhaibani opened proceedings, joined by Douglas and Chiravadee, along with tourism industry guests.
Why the Saudi market matters
The Middle East remains a high-value long-haul market for Thailand, with July to September marking a peak outbound travel period for the region. Travellers from the Gulf tend to prioritise nature, wellness, family holidays and reliable visitor infrastructure, areas where Thailand has invested heavily, including in its Muslim-friendly tourism facilities.
Saudi visitors in particular tend to stay 10 to 12 days and spend around 110,000 baht (US$3,100) per trip, with strong demand for shopping, beaches, Thai cuisine, medical treatment and wellness services. Family travel makes up a significant share of this market, and interest is spreading beyond Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya to destinations such as Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai.
Thailand has recorded 121,907 arrivals from Saudi Arabia so far in 2026, down 14.62% from 142,774 over the same period last year. TAT said it is working to reverse that trend through improved air links such as the new Riyadh Air service, alongside halal dining options, visitor facilities and targeted digital marketing aimed at Saudi travellers.
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