Thailand to harness Airbus’ expertise in becoming aviation hub
Transport Ministry to work with Europe’s Airbus to expand aviation infrastructure and raise safety standards
Thailand’s Transport Ministry is to work closely with European aerospace corporation Airbus to develop aviation infrastructure and enhance air safety standards to achieve its ambition to turn the country into an aviation hub in the region.
Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit on Tuesday welcomed Anand Stanley, president and head of Airbus Asia-Pacific, who led a group of Airbus experts in a meeting at the ministry’s headquarters in Bangkok.
After the session, Suriya said Thai officials and Airbus discussed collaboration to expand the capacity of aviation infrastructure to support the future growth of the aviation industry, as well as enhance Thailand's aviation safety standards to international levels.
The minister underscored that the government was committed to pushing the country to become a regional aviation hub, with a target of welcoming 250 million passengers per year at airports of Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) by 2032.
The Transport Ministry is also planning to build the new Andaman Airport on the west coast of the Southern region, aiming to accommodate 22.5 million passengers per year in both the long- and short-haul markets, he said.
Suriya said Airbus had earlier signed an MOU with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on environmental projects, including the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of aviation greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of sustainable aviation fuel.
“Airbus has supported efforts to enhance human resource capacity, organise seminars, and provide technical assistance to the aviation industry and airlines in Thailand,” said Suriya. “Additionally, the company has contributed funding and sent aviation experts to assist in developing CAAT's aviation regulatory systems to meet international standards.”
For his part, Stanley expressed confidence that Airbus' expertise and innovations would benefit Thailand's aviation sector. He emphasised the importance of continued collaboration to elevate Thailand's aviation safety standards to international levels. Furthermore, Airbus looks forward to exploring other areas of cooperation to pave the way for a sustainable future in aviation, he added.
