Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Thai pilgrims arrive in Jeddah on direct Saudia Airlines flight

Officials at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport on Thursday celebrated the arrival of Thai pilgrims following the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.

It was not the first group of pilgrims to arrive from Thailand this Umrah season, but it was the first to arrive on a direct flight from Bangkok to Jeddah, a source told Arab News.

Saudia previously suspended all direct flights to Thailand almost three decades ago after diplomatic ties between both countries were downgraded.

The head of the National Hajj and Umrah Committee, Mazen Darrar, told Arab News: “We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation for our wise government's efforts in attracting pilgrims, and its keenness and constant interest and support for the government and private sectors, motivating them to increase the number of pilgrims.

A Thai pilgrim holds his passport after arriving in Jeddah on Thursday.


“This helps achieve the goal of Vision 2030 by improving the package of services provided to pilgrims, which include all necessary means of comfort from their arrival, during their pilgrimage, and until their safe and sound return.

“These efforts resulted in opening the door to Umrah for Muslims in Thailand and providing them with the opportunity to perform Umrah, despite the pandemic, as per the precautionary measures established by Saudi Arabia.”

He also said their arrival “enriched” the entire Umrah system and ensured the recovery of commercial and economic movement in various fields.

Thai pilgrims are welcomed by officials at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport on Thursday.


Ahmed Bajafer, an investor in Umrah companies, said: “We are very pleased with the first direct flight from Bangkok to Jeddah via Saudia Airlines. Such an achievement reflects the great efforts made by the Saudi government and its tireless keenness to ensure the comfort of Muslims all over the world, and facilitate their arrival to perform Hajj and Umrah.”

Bajafer said the direct flights would be an important economic boost for the two countries, facilitating movement, opening economic horizons, allowing expertise exchange, creating mutual trade benefits, and providing commercial platforms that enhanced the economic understanding between Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×