Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is studying the creation of a subsidiary to operate small airports to be handed over by the loss-ridden Department of Airports under the government's plan to stabilise state coffers.
AoT president Kirati Kijmanawat said on Tuesday the planned subsidiary would be directly under AoT with the parent company and Vayupak funds among the main shareholders. It would not be open to private investors because its operations will involve state assets.
The AoT president said the plan is now under study, expected to take no more than six months.
The agency is preparing for the transfer of local airports from the department, which is government policy. It is in the process of acquiring the first three airports, Buriram, Udon Thani and Krabi, which were approved by the previous government.
Mr Kirati said AoT is also waiting for approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to complete the transfer of the three airports.
The company will also take other airports from the department, although the AoT president said it did not commit to taking them all. It depended on the business potential and endorsement from AoT shareholders.
He identified airports in Khon Kaen, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phrae, Nan and Mae Hong Son as having potential as they serve both locals and tourists.
One airport that will not be transferred to AoT is Tak, as it is used only for artificial rainmaking, he said.
The department has 25 more airports to offer.
The government has to allocate 3-4 billion baht from the annual state budget to aid the department, due to operating losses at its airports.
