CHIANG RAI – On January 1, 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed Scoot’s inaugural flight TR670 on the new direct Singapore to Chiang Rai route. The flight arrived at Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport and marks a big step in linking Singapore with Northern Thailand.
TAT said the new service highlights Chiang Rai’s appeal as a rising destination and reflects steady demand from the Singapore market. To build on this momentum, TAT plans to step up marketing aimed at repeat visitors (Revisit), across segments such as Health and Wellness, Luxury, Sports, Overland Fly and Drive, and cruise travellers.
The goal is to boost travel and spending across the province and help push Singapore arrivals in 2026 to 1.12 million people, up 7% from 2025.
Warm Welcome in Chiang Rai
Scoot’s TR670 Singapore to Chiang Rai service starts on 1 January 2026. The airline plans to operate five flights per week, using an Embraer E190-E aircraft with 112 seats.
The first flight departed Singapore Changi Airport and landed in Chiang Rai on 1 January 2026 with a load factor of 94%. Passengers received a warm welcome from local leaders and tourism partners, including Chiang Rai Governor Choochip Pongchai, TAT’s Patranong Na Chiang Mai, and representatives from Chiang Rai’s tourism and business groups. Souvenirs were also handed out to help create a great first impression on arrival in Thailand.
Patranong said the added route shows growing interest from short-haul travellers, with Singapore continuing to perform well and expanding beyond Thailand’s main cities into high-potential provinces like Chiang Rai.
Scoot and a Media Familiarisation Trip
TAT is continuing its Chiang Rai push with a mix of promotions and on-the-ground activities. These include joint sales campaigns with Scoot and a Media Familiarisation Trip to Chiang Rai. As a pilot, three Singapore-based KOLs travelled on the inaugural flight to experience local attractions.
Singapore tourists can visit cafés in Chiang Rai city, tea-making activities at a hilltop tea plantation, and key sights such as Wat Rong Khun and Doi Tung. The itinerary also included local experiences like saa paper-making and yam khaang, a traditional Lanna-style massage technique.
TAT also arranged an Agents Familiarisation Trip, bringing tour company representatives into Chiang Rai for product testing, so they can shape and sell new travel routes for visitors.
Connection Singapore to Chiang Rai
In addition, TAT and Scoot are running a joint sales drive through the Thailand Summer Blast project, encouraging travellers from Singapore to visit Chiang Rai during the current travel season.
Between January 1 and December 31, 2025, 967,341 visitors from Singapore travelled to Thailand. Thailand ranked in the top three destinations for Singapore travellers, after Malaysia and Indonesia.
Popular Thai destinations for Singapore visitors include Bangkok, Songkhla, Phuket, Krabi, and Pattaya. Average spend was 45,629 baht per person per trip, with an average stay of 4.72 days.
Most visitors travelled independently (97.59%), and repeat visitors made up a large share of the market (83.80%). Peak travel periods were December to January, especially around Christmas and New Year, plus June, which matches school holidays in Singapore.
