Jan 16, 2007, 5:55 GMT
Bangkok - Nok Air, the no-frills subsidiary of the national carrier Thai Airways International (THAI), on Tuesday launched an inaugural flight to Krabi, one of the provinces affected by the December 26, 2004 tsunami.
'Nok Air's services to and from Krabi will certainly contribute to the increase in travel and tourism, and the further awareness of our province,' said Krabi governor Siwa Sirisaowaluk, who welcomed the inaugural flight Tuesday morning.
Krabi was one of Thailand's six southern provinces rimming the Andaman Sea that were hard hit by the 2004 tsunami that claimed more than 5,300 victims, half of them foreign tourists on vacation.
Krabi's Phi Phi Island, a former paradise for backpackers, was particularly hard hit by the giant waves that swept over the island twice, although much of the infrastructure has now been restored.
Phi Phi was used as the location of late 1990's film The Beach, a Hollywood blockbuster about backpacker tourists that starred Leonardo DiCaprio.
As of Tuesday Nok Air will operate twice daily flights from Bangkok to Krabi, using a Boeing 737-400, with capacity up to 156 seats.
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