Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto on Monday welcomed the launch of new flight routes connecting Bangkok and Phuket to Surabaya and Medan saying the increased air connectivity would help strengthen economic ties and boost two-way tourism.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a bilateral meeting at the Government House in Bangkok, Prabowo also highlighted joint efforts to advance aviation and related technologies.

“We also welcome cooperation in aviation and joint technological development in this sector,” Prabowo said during the televised event, which was broadcast online and viewed in Jakarta.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn said the new routes would link Thailand with East Java and North Sumatra. “These routes will boost two-way tourism and improve regular and regional connectivity,” she said. The Thai government, she added, has tasked relevant agencies with exploring further cooperation in the tourism sector.

Indonesia has set a target to attract between 14 million and 16 million international tourists this year, after welcoming 13.9 million foreign visitors in 2024, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). In contrast, Thailand received 35.5 million international tourists last year.

Tourism flows between the two countries show strong growth potential. In 2024, around 119,000 Thai tourists visited Indonesia, while approximately 876,000 Indonesians traveled to Thailand.

In their broader bilateral talks, President Prabowo reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation with Thailand. He said both countries are preparing to hold the First Joint Trade Commission, which will involve trade and investment institutions from each side.

“Our commitment is to hold the First Joint Trade Commission in the near future,” Prabowo said.

Trade and investment between the two nations currently amount to about $18 billion annually. Prabowo said the two sides are working to increase this figure by developing the halal industry and promoting the digital economy, particularly in fintech, e-commerce, and infrastructure.

The upcoming Joint Trade Commission is expected to serve as a strategic forum to boost trade volumes, resolve tariff and non-tariff barriers, and explore new collaboration opportunities across industrial and digital trade sectors.