Bangkok Airways 31st Birthday

The origins of Bangkok Airways can be traced back to 1968 and a company known as Sahakol Air, an air taxi service operating a twin engine, ten seat Tradewind aircraft during the Vietnam War. Their major customer was Overseas International Overseas Construction Company (OICC), an American construction company known as United States Operation Mission (USOM) and a number of other organisations engaged in oil and natural gas exploration in the Gulf of Thailand.

The post Vietnam War era saw investment in both tourism and the economy grow significantly. There was a rapid growth in demand for air transportation to Thailand's remoter regions. In 1986, the airline was given government approval to operate regular charter services and simultaneously changed its name to Bangkok Airways, offering flights to Krabi, Korat and Surin. This was to coincide with a huge in interest from the rest of the world who had just discovered the country's unspoiled beauty and great value for money. This was the birth of Thailand's International tourist industry.

Three years later, in 1989, Bangkok Airways became one of Thailand's first privately owned domestic airlines. Since then the airline has grown considerably, opening two of its own airports, building up a modern fleet of aircraft and expanding its route network simultaneously.

Possibly the biggest contribution Bangkok Airways has made to Thailand's tourist industry was the building and opening of Koh Samui Airport in April 1989. This was unquestionable a major factor in the islands subsequent success as an international tourist destination. Today Bangkok Airways provides more than 15 round trip daily flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui, in addition to services to Phuket, U-tapao and Singapore.

In 1996 Bangkok Airways opened its second airport in the ancient Siamese capital of Sukhothai with direct daily flight from Bangkok continuing to Chiang Mai. As part of the airline's plans to make Sukhothai their cultural hub, in November this year they will be operating daily flights to and from Luang Prabang.

Today Bangkok Airways flies to eleven destinations in three countries. In Thailand they are Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket, Sukhothai, Utapo, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Ranong. In Cambodia they serve Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and finally Singapore.