The tourism and sports minister wants the expanded U-Tapao airport renamed U-Tapao Pattaya airport, to attract more tourists, but the transport minister says it is not going to happen.
Tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul earlier said she would ask the navy to include "Pattaya" in the airport's name.
U-Tapao is being expanded to attract more direct flights from international airlines, she said.
"Use of the name Pattaya will help boost tourists' awareness, because Pattaya is a landmark of tourism in Thailand already well-known to travellers," she said.
However, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said on Wednesday Mrs Kobkarn had already discussed the idea with him, and he turned it down.
The airport's name had a long-standing and historical significance, including its role as a military base during the Vietnam War.
Younger tourists might favour Pattaya as the name because they know that place well, but people aged 40 and over know it as U-Tapao airport, ACM Prajin said.
The navy has been operating U-Tapao airport in Rayong province for over five decades and its commercial role is being expanded so that it can operate as a third airport for Bangkok.
Naval air commander Rear Adm Vasinsan Chantavarin, the director of U-Tapao, said that airport's commercial role was already expanding. Kan Air had introduced six routes to Pattaya, AirAsia would launch its U-Tapao-Kuala Lumpur service on Thursday (July 16), and Thai AirAsia would use U-Tapao airport as its fifth hub to serve domestic and international flights from October this year.
At present, U-Tapao airport has the capacity to handle 800,000 passengers a year, but is already serving 120,000-130,000. A second passenger terminal will be opened next June and raise capacity to 3 million passengers a year.
Rear Adm Vasinsan said the airport management would work with authorities in the eastern provinces of Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong and Trat and promote their tourist attractions, encouraging visitors to arrive in the region through U-Tapao airport.
U-Tapao airport is 45 kilometres from Pattaya and 190km from Bangkok.