SILKAIR will be launching thrice-weekly direct services to Koh Samui, its third Thai destination after Phuket and Chiang Mai, from September 27.

SilkAir will be using Airbus A319 aircraft on the Singapore-Samui route. It will also offer evening flights through Bangkok Airways’ once-daily service, using the same aircraft type.

Bangkok Airways senior vice president for network management, Peter Wiesner, said the codeshare agreement with SilkAir would allow it to drive traffic into Koh Samui from both Singapore and longhaul destinations connecting via Changi International Airport.

The bulk of Koh Samui’s traffic is from Bangkok through direct daily services on Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways International. The island also receives traffic from Hong Kong through a direct Bangkok Airways flight, and from Kuala Lumur on Berjaya Air and Firefly.

Meanwhile, SilkAir and Bangkok Airways also codeshare on SilkAir’s Singapore-Chiang Mai and Singapore-Phuket routes, as well as Bangkok Airways’ Bangkok-Samui, Samui-Phuket and Chiang Mai-Samui services.