Suvarnabhumi airport has been designated as a centre for small-to-medium-scale maintenance, and U-Tapao airport in Rayong is responsible for large-scale aircraft servicing under a plan to secure Thailand's position as a regional aviation hub, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
The CAAT is moving forward with plans to establish aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) centres and promote the expansion of the air cargo industry.
CAAT director ACM Manat Chavanaprayoon said after assuming the authority's top post that the MRO policy aims to enhance service capabilities for airlines operating in and flying to Thailand. The policy will enable them to conduct aircraft inspection and maintenance immediately upon landing.
Suvarnabhumi, the country's primary gateway, handles many flights daily. However, it lacks an on-site aircraft maintenance centre. Such a facility must be set up to position Thailand as the region's aviation hub, he said.
The CAAT is drafting a master plan to implement the MRO policy, which is expected to take a year to finalise.
The initial phase of the policy involves developing a 700-rai plot of land south of Suvarnabhumi airport into small- and medium-sized aircraft maintenance facilities.
The facilities will include aviation training centres that incorporate flight training simulators for aviation engineers and aircraft maintenance technician training programmes.
These developments aim to attract airlines to Suvarnabhumi with its offer of high-quality maintenance service capabilities.
At the same time, U-Tapao airport will become a centre for large aircraft maintenance under the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) policy.
The CAAT will accelerate the implementation of the project, which would save airlines money by preventing them from having to send their planes for maintenance overseas. The project will also pull in both local and international investors.
The CAAT is also focusing on expanding Thailand's air cargo business, which only a handful of Thai-registered airlines operate.
One major obstacle relates to the law requiring that an air cargo firm registered in the kingdom must be 51% Thai-owned. The requirement is deemed too costly for many Thais to invest.
According to the director, legal changes will be pursued to lower the Thai ownership ceiling to 20%. He said that after five years, the ceiling would be lifted to 30%, and eventually, the business could be wholly owned by Thais.
