Lion doubles flights to Udon

HAT YAI Thai Lion Air will double flights between the southern Thai town of Hat Yai and Udon Thani in Northeast Thailand.

Flights will increase from three to six flight weekly starting 17 November.

The additional flight will serve tourists visiting Northeast Thailand and also those who are heading to Vientiane the capital of Lao PDR, which is a 100-km drive north of Udon Thani airport crossing the border at Nong Khai.

The fares are considerably lower than those for air services direct to Vientiane, but the overland transfer to the Lao capital from Udon Thani is time consuming adding at least three hours to the entire journey.

The extra flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Currently, the airline serves the route Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Thai Smile, Thai AirAsia and Nok Air all operate flights on the route.

Hat Yai is the biggest towny in Songkhla province, in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. It has a reputation for being a shopping and nightlife destination for both Thais and foreigners.

However, more recently low-cost airlines are linking the town with direct air services to destinations in North and Northeast Thailand that offer a more convenient routing for travellers from North Malaysia. In the past, they had to  fly  to Bangkok first and then transfer to a domestic flight.  The direct flights are much cheaper and save time.

Udon Thani is a popular city for foreign retirees and also a gateway to Laos, about 60 km from the border checkpoint at Nong Khai. Its airport is the closest to the border and many foreign tourist fly there to begin their overland trips to Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos.