THAI MUSLIMS LAUNCH FIRST AIRLINE

Pattani, 28 Rajab 1436/17 May 2015 (MINA) – Catering to the needs of thousands of Southern Thailand Muslims, a new airline has been launched in the south of the Asian country to offer the first direct flights line for pilgrims traveling to the holy lands in Saudi Arabia.

“Every year, more and more people from the southern border provinces have to travel to Bangkok to catch flights to attend the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia,” Jay Khan, one of six executives behind the new venture said, On Islam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“So I think we should provide them with an opportunity to fly direct from Narathiwat to Jeddah, which is faster and more economical as it is mostly over Open Ocean.”

Named, Fatonee, the new airline will be based in Pattani province with an operational hub located at the airport in neighboring Narathiwat province.

Instead of travelling to the capital Bangkok then heading to Saudi, Muslim pilgrims will start will their spiritual journey from the south.

The launch of the new airline came in response to growing demands by Muslims to have direct flights from the south.

Officially launched earlier this month, the airline will start its direct flights to Saudi by September.

Besides operating a Jeddah-Bangkok-Narathiwat-Jakarta route, the airline will offer flights to South Korea’s capital.

“With the terms of the ASEAN Economic Community [AEC] soon to go into effect, we will also be very well placed to attract Malaysians wanting to fly to Jeddah from neighboring states, such as Kelantan, rather that travel all the way to Kuala Lumpur,” to Fatonee Airlines executive Pornchai Pettonkham said.

Choosing the significant name, Fatonee, refers to is the word that Malay-speaking people use in identifying the region known as the Deep South, an insurgency-stricken region that was formerly as Patani before Thailand annexed it in the early 1900s.

“The name Fatonee Airlines was chosen because this is how our region is known to other Malay-speaking peoples of the ASEAN region, who know it historically as a great center of learning in the past,” said Ismae, the company’s chairman.

“This is a matter of history for us. It is important because there are many Malays in this region who have a [defeatist] attitude.

“They think ‘it’s impossible’. But if we can make this dream come true, it could serve as a positive turning point for us.”

Muslims make more than 80% of South Thailand population.

Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are the only Muslim-majority provinces in Thailand. (T/P006/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)