Bhubaneswar: Air India will start a direct flight service to Bangkok from Biju Patnaik International Airport here from December 10. This will be the second international flight to operate from the state capital.

The new flight will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays.

"Bolstering #Odisha's position as new gateway to the East, @airindiain announced direct flights from Bhubaneswar to Bangkok starting 10 Dec. Expansion of international air connectivity will give huge boost to tourism, trade & ties with South East Asian countries @odisha_tourism," chief minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted on his official handle @CMO_Odisha.

The airline also made the announcement through Twitter. "#FlyAI : #airindia connects #Bhubaneswar to #Bangkok twice a week from 10th December 2017 #A320neo #BBI #BKK."

Thai AirAsia had recently proposed to start flight services between Bhubaneswar and Bangkok from March next year. "The airline has evinced interest in running services between the two cities. The government is examining the proposal and if everything goes well, an agreement will be inked between the Odisha government and Thai AirAsia," tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda had told The Telegraph.

The airline had asked the state government to provide a subsidy of Rs 1.7 lakh per trip to run the service between Bhubaneswar and Bangkok. The government will agree to the proposal because it has been providing a similar subsidy for the Bhubaneswar-Kuala Lumpur flight, the only international flight operating out of Biju Patnaik International Airport at the moment.

Once the state government gives its final approval, an agreement will be executed following which the process to open ticket booking and check-in counters, installation of luggage scanners and recruitment of ground staff will start.

Tourist operators are excited with the development.

Tour operator Benjamine Simone said: "The service will definitely increase tourist inflow to the state."

The Bhubaneswar airport had got the international tag on October 31, 2010.