Thai low-cost carrier banned from operating international flights

If you have an international flight booked with Thai low-coast airline Nok Air then you should be looking at your travel insurance.

Nok Air has been forced to suspend all international flights due to safety compliance issues, The Nation newspaper reported.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) this week ordered Nok Air to drop all international routes and restrict its domestic operations as it conducts a routine safety audit of Thailand aviation.

“The rate of incidents over the past two to three years has been significant, including occurrences such as engine in-flight shutdowns, runway excursions, hard landings and tail strikes,” said Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, director general of the CAAT.

In addition, the airline has been dealing with various internal issues regarding staff shortages.

The airline has served destinations in China, India, Laos, Myanmar and Japan but says it hasn’t been operating international flights since June.

“Nok Air remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards and improving service quality across all operations,” it said in a statement.

The ban comes amid ongoing compliance checks conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Qantas marks 90 years of international flying

Qantas is today celebrating 90 years of international flying, marking a major milestone in the evolution of the aviation industry and nine decades of connecting Australia with the world.

On 17 April 1935, Qantas operated Australia’s first international passenger flight from Brisbane to Singapore, carrying two customers on a DH86 aircraft.

The flight took three and a half days with 16 stops along the way.

Almost a century later, over 273 million customers have flown across the Qantas international network which now spans 56 routes to 34 destinations in 25 countries around the world.

Qantas CEO International Cam Wallace said the anniversary is a proud moment in the national carrier’s history.

“Our first international flight took over three days to reach Singapore from Brisbane, carrying just a few passengers and making more than 15 stops” he said.

“Fast forward to today and we’re flying thousands of passengers daily on nonstop services between Australia to Singapore and over 7.6 million customers travelled on our broader international network in 2024 - a powerful reflection of how far international travel has come.

“We’re incredibly proud of our history, but equally excited about what’s ahead. This year will see more growth across the Qantas international network, with the launch of flights from Melbourne to Honolulu next month and Sydney to Sapporo later in the year.

“We also look forward to the arrival of our new A350 aircraft, which will reshape what’s possible in ultra-long-haul travel with the introduction of our Project Sunrise non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York.”

To mark the occasion, Qantas is giving Australians a unique look at its history by unveiling a collection of historical content from its official archives, providing a fascinating snapshot of the aviation industry over the past 90 years.

Qantas will also unveil three limited-edition amenity kits for business customers featuring art from its historic archives. The amenity kits will roll out across the Qantas network in the coming months.

# The current average flying time between Brisbane and Singapore is 8 hours on a Qantas Airbus A330.

Sichon project to champion "tranquil tourism"

Even regular visitors to Thailand might never have heard of Sichon - but that might change soon.

While the region is set for some tourism development, locals hope it will never be another Phuket or Koh Samui.

The new international terminal at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport - about 610 km south of Bangkok, on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula - is due to open later this year and tourism operators aim to maintain Sichon's "charms, adventure, nature, and sustainability."

The aim to promote "tranquil tourism" in the southern Thailand region despite the imminent arrival of international flights.

It is hoped travellers will be able to explore the authentic cultural and natural heritage of the region and former Laguna Phuket CEO Ravi Chandran is one of those who sees huge potential in the destination.

Sichon is a place where Buddhists pay their respects in ancient temples, fishermen pull their catches up onto the beach and artisans work looms to weave materials dyed by natural colours derived from local fruits.

Sichon has been recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the best 10 beaches in Thailand.

Chandran, a senior advisor to Urasaya, a residential and hospitality development concept which will be unveiled on Sichon beach in the coming months, says he wants to see carefully-managed, eco-conscious, locally-inspired tourism.

“Sichon is quite something," he says. "Far from the tourist crowds, this is life in southern Thailand as it was 30 years ago - naturally beautiful, culturally authentic and perfectly peaceful.

"This is the Thailand visitors want to see and it is somewhere people will want to live.

“I really think that this is a new beginning for the south of Thailand and it is a chance to get it right first go - by embracing a future defined by heritage, nature and sustainability.”

The provincial capital, also called Nakhon Si Thammarat, is one of Thailand’s oldest cities with a history that dates back over 1,200 years.

There are no current direct flights from Australia but access initially will be via Singapore, Malaysia, and China. Stay tuned.