CHINESE passengers return in numbers to Phuket later this month when the first of two weekly charter flights lands on the island.

The flight of 166 passengers from Guangzhou is the first of 104 flights a year from the southern China province, which has a population of 90 million.

If the first year's operations go well, the route will be serviced instead by two regular flights.

The first China Southern Airlines charter flight on July 24 follows efforts by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to drive Phuket tourism from China, which stopped abruptly with travel warnings after the red-shirt Songkran street fracas in Bangkok.

All being well, September will see 99 couples arrive to be married and honeymoon on Phuket as part of an 090909 special.

''If just five percent of the population of 90 million come, Phuket will be doing ok,'' said TAT regional director Setthapan Putthani, who retuned this week from talks with the large CGZL International Travel Service.

Khun Setthapan believes high-level talks between Thai officials and senior Chinese officials can unlock more of the huge potential market.


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