Krabi, Buri Ram and Udon Thani airports are being upgraded to regional hubs, which will help sharpen Thailand’s competitive edge in international aviation, according to Airports of Thailand (AoT).
AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob aims to make Thailand an international aviation hub and the three airports will play a major role in achieving this.
Currently, AoT operates six airports and is seeking to manage Krabi, Buri Ram and Udon Thani airports which are currently under the supervision of the Department of Airports (DoA).
The management transfer plan, which has been in the pipeline since 2018, is likely to be submitted to the cabinet next month.
Besides Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, AoT has Chiang Mai and Phuket airports as regional hubs, which face passenger and air traffic congestion, Mr Nitinai said.
AoT sees an opportunity in upgrading Udon Thani airport in the upper northeast as a gateway to Laos and Buri Ram airport in the lower northeast as a gateway to Cambodia. Krabi airport will strengthen the southern hub and accommodate a rise in air traffic after the Covid-19 crisis ends, he said.
“The country will benefit because it will remove limitations on upgrading the industry and save on state budget. Air passengers will benefit due to seamless operations without having to fly to Bangkok for connecting flights,” he said.
The AoT president said the DoA does not stand to lose from the management transfer because AoT will compensate the department for losing the three airports, which give it a steady income.
(Source: – Bangkok Post)