An aircraft takes off from Ningbo Lishe International Airport, located in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: nbfb0574]

Ningbo is set to reinstate its direct flights to Bangkok, Thailand, from Jan 16, according to local media reports citing a source from Spring Airlines.

This decision comes on the heels of an announcement made on Jan 2 by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, stating that Chinese visitors will be granted permanent visa waivers starting from March 1.

Spring Airlines, a Shanghai-based budget airline, will be the first carrier to resume operations on this route at Ningbo Lishe International Airport, after a hiatus of several months.

Passengers will enjoy the convenience of traveling on Airbus A320 aircraft, with four weekly flights scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Round-trip tickets are already available for purchase.

The outbound flight, 9C7431, will depart from Ningbo Lishe International Airport at 2:10 pm and arrive at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport at 5:20 pm. For the return journey, flight 9C7432 will leave Bangkok at 6:20 pm and arrive in Ningbo after a 4-hour flight.

The resumption of direct flights between Ningbo and Bangkok holds great potential for boosting tourism, facilitating business travel, and fostering cultural exchanges between the two cities. It will also benefit tourists and business travelers from other parts of China, providing them with increased travel options and making it easier for them to visit Thailand.