Thai Airways International's (THAI) first Beijing-Phuket direct flight has touched down at Phuket International Airport in southern Thailand, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on Tuesday.

THAI has launched four-times weekly direct flights between China's capital Beijing and southern Thailand's famous beach destination Phuket. The flights will be carried out with 264-seat Dreamliner B787 planes.

The flight time is about five hours and 35 minutes. With flights incoming from Beijing on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and outgoing flights on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, the service will allow travelers from Beijing to fly to Phuket for long weekend visits.

Bangornrat Chinaprayoon, Director of TAT Beijing Office said this new air access will allow Chinese tourists to fly to Phuket directly with no hassles and start enjoying the beach and local culture as soon as they touch down.

Before the launch of direct flights, Chinese tourists from Beijing have to fly to Bangkok first and take a transfer there to get to the island.