Plans are underway for Thailand’s Nok Air budget airline to begin international routes by 2013.

Nok Air CEO Patee Sarasin said that the airline plans to launch new routes to China in the first quarter of the year using their growing fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The airline will focus on destinations within a 3-4 hour flying distance from their base at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport.

Nok Air experimented with international routes in the past, flying to Bangalore and Hanoi, but these routes were cancelled in 2007.

Thailand’s Nok Air has announced it will add three domestic routes to its autumn 2012 schedule.

Starting September 2, Nok Air will offer three flights per week from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Buriram. Starting October 1, Nok Air will offer daily flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Chumphon.

Starting September 1, Nok will also offer daily flights from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot operated with aircraft chartered from Siam General Aviation (Nok Mini). It will also increase the frequency of flights from Bangkok to Mae Sot to 2 flights per day.

Bangkok’s Don Muang airport is set to reopen on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. The airport closed in October 2011 during the floods that affected central Thailand for months.

The only commercial airline operating out of Don Muang Airport is budget carrier Nok Air. The airline operates 35 flights per day within Thailand and is eager to return to its base airport.

Thai budget airline Nok Air has announced the addition of a Bangkok – Chiang Rai route starting on December 28, 2011. They will operate two flights per day on this new route using a Boeing 737-400.

“We are very excited about adding “Bangkok – Chiang Rai” as the latest route in our domestic network”, said Mr. Patee Sarasin, CEO of Nok Air.  “We are pleased to be able to provide further convenience to travelers from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, as we add to the 18 existing provinces in Thailand we now fly to.”

“This latest route has brought us even closer to achieving one of our aims, which is to take Thais to see the beauty of their country, to see families and family members that they haven’t seen in years, to allow Thais to travel quickly and comfortably, whether for pleasure or for business, and to do all this at prices that are affordable to all” Patee added.

Introductory  fares for the new Bangkok – Chaiang Rai route start from just THB 1,290 (USD $41) nett for one-way travel and can be purchased through the Nok Air website or call center.

While Don Muang airport clean up continues Nok Air will starts flights to Nakhon Phanom operating out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Nok Air will operate a daily flight between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Nakhon Phanom from 9 December 2011, using an ATR-72 aircraft with a capacity of 66 seats.

Nakhon Phanom, once the center of the ancient Sri Kotrabun Kingdom, lies along the western bank of the majestic Mekong River, although over the centuries it has moved back and forth across the river. The lovely setting of Nakhon Phanom town is enhanced by the rugged beauty of the jungle covered mountains that lie beyond the town of Thakaek on the Laotian side of the river. King Rama I chose the name Nakhon Phanom, city of mountains, because of the remarkable mountains found in the province.

Partly a result of its long history, Nakhon Phanom is a melting pot of diverse ethnic cultures and traditions, particularly represented by the Lao, who have lent a strong influence to the architecture, customs, and cuisine of Nakhon Phanom, including the Bai-Sri-Su-Kwan welcoming ceremony.

Covered with both high hills and low lying, forest covered plains, Nakhon Phanom is the site of Phra That Phanom, the most ancient and sacred religious monument in Northeastern Thailand. Thais and Laotians are both common pilgrims to this highly venerated Buddhist shrine where they come to ask for blessings.