GARLANDS galore greeted passengers when the first Qatar Airways flight landed on Phuket last night. This is one fresh Qatar riff that is expected to rival Hendrix at his best.

Five-star is Qatar's claim, and upmarket is where the whole of Phuket hopes to be heading, in tune. According to one Qatar executive, passengers ''are already queuing up'' for the new route, which takes in Doha, Qatar's Middle East capital, Phuket and Kuala Lumpur.

Last night's flight was bound from KL to Doha, and dignitaries and a dancing troupe greeted the passengers who alighted on Phuket, among them Marwan Koleilat, Qatar's regional chief. He was welcomed by Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong, Tourism Association of Thailand regional director Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, and representatives from the Thai Hotels Association, Tourism and Sport, Phuket International Airport and other bodies.

Starting with six flights a week, the service will upgrade to daily from November 1. Qatar is clearly prepared for the long haul, in more ways than one.

''Three hundred and sixty-five days of the year we will have a flight,'' said Joe Rajadurai, manager for Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma). He told Phuketwan that flights to Phuket would bring passengers from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, US and South America, connecting through Qatar's broadening network.

''We intend growing tourism into Phuket. And we will also bring tourists from Malaysia to Phuket in operating these flights.

''Our Middle Eastern customers wanted an option to Langkawi as a beach holiday, so we have offered Phuket now.''

He said Qatar plans a non-stop flight direct from Doha to Phuket ''in the long term.''