Thousands of tourists stranded amid Middle East upheavalTravelers check in at Chiang Mai airport in Chiang Mai on Monday. Flights operated by major carriers between the Middle East and Thailand were cancelled, including Thai AirAsia X flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rangsiman Kingkaew, president of the Tourism Council of Phuket, said foreigners on flights from the Middle East to Phuket accounted for roughly 10% of daily arrivals. As of Monday, more than 5,000 tourists were stranded in Phuket following over 30 flight cancellations. Most of the tourists impacted are from the Middle East, Israel, Europe or the United States, utilising an aviation hub in the Middle East.

Source: Bangkok Post March 02, 2026 13:41 UTC