Thai PM Pledges Major Upgrades for Key Airports

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Facebook Phuket Intl. Airport

 

In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to overhaul the nation’s airports, aiming to meet global standards and establish Thailand as a top regional aviation hub.

 

The plan, spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport Suriya Juangroongruangkit, targets enhancements in aviation safety, customer service, and operational efficacy.

 

The upgrade is not just about refurbishment but a strategic move to improve Thailand's aviation credentials on the world stage.

 

The government has pinpointed several critical areas for development, with a key focus on meeting the rigorous standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States.

 

This adjustment is pivotal for expanding Thailand’s flight connectivity to the U.S. and potentially other international destinations.

 

Core improvements will be seen at Bangkok's two main airports—Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. Suvarnabhumi Airport, already a focal point of Thailand's air traffic, is set to expand its passenger accommodation space by adding 81,000 square meters and a third runway by September 2024, which is expected to boost its capacity from 68 to 94 flights per hour.

 

In terms of global rankings, efforts seem to be paying off as Suvarnabhumi leapt 10 places up, securing a spot in the top 58 global airports for 2024. On the other hand, Don Mueang continues to excel as one of the world’s leading low-cost airline terminals.

 

The overarching goal for the Thai aviation sector is to feature among the top 20 global airports by 2029, with the ability to handle around 170 million passengers and 1 million flights annually. By 2034, these figures are expected to soar even higher to 210 million passengers and 1.2 million flights.

 

These efforts are part of Thailand's broader economic vision to leverage its geographic location and available resources to become a leader in the aviation sector, enhancing overall connectivity and boosting tourism and trade.

 

-- 2024-07-08

 

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[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

aiming to meet global standards and establish Thailand as a top regional aviation hub.

Good luck with that..............

[MalcolmB]

The Thais have always been on top of the game in this region and this will further cement their place as number one.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to overhaul the nation’s airports, aiming to meet global standards and establish Thailand as a top regional aviation hub.

I thought they were already top of the universe.

[khunjeff]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace

 

Thailand's airspace is defined by international law - I think the writer may wish to consult a dictionary to find a different word.

[Georgealbert]

40 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

Thailand's airspace is defined by international law - I think the writer may wish to consult a dictionary to find a different word.

Thailand’s airspace is under the control of the Thai government, same as any country.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is the responsible authority for the supervision and maintaining Air Traffic Services in the area of responsibility of the Kingdom of Thailand in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, recommended practices and procedures, namely,

 

Annex 2 - Rules of the Air 

Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services 

Doc 4444 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS – ATM) 

Doc 8168 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS)

Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary Procedures 

 

Air Traffic services are provided for the entire territory of the Kingdom of Thailand, including its territorial waters as well as the airspace over the high seas within the Bangkok FIR (Flight Information Region).

 

The following types of services are provided by CAAT,

Flight Information Services (FIS) and Alerting Service (ALRS); 

Area control service; and 

Radar service.

 

 

[khunjeff]

5 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Thailand’s airspace is under the control of the Thai government, same as any country.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is the responsible authority for the supervision and maintaining Air Traffic Services in the area of responsibility of the Kingdom of Thailand in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, recommended practices and procedures, namely,

 

Annex 2 - Rules of the Air 

Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services 

Doc 4444 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS – ATM) 

Doc 8168 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS)

Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary Procedures 

 

Air Traffic services are provided for the entire territory of the Kingdom of Thailand, including its territorial waters as well as the airspace over the high seas within the Bangkok FIR (Flight Information Region).

 

The following types of services are provided by CAAT,

Flight Information Services (FIS) and Alerting Service (ALRS); 

Area control service; and 

Radar service.

 

 

 

You're talking about managing and controlling airspace, not defining it.

 

Here is what was written in the article:

 

"In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to overhaul the nation’s airports"

 

The PM is not, in fact, "redefining Thailand's airspace" in any way. "Redefining" what constitutes Thai airspace would be a matter for international discussion, but that isn't happening here - the PM is talking about improving airports and aviation oversight. The writer just chose an incorrect term to describe his goals.

[Georgealbert]

11 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

You're talking about managing and controlling airspace, not defining it.

 

Here is what was written in the article:

 

"In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to overhaul the nation’s airports"

 

The PM is not, in fact, "redefining Thailand's airspace" in any way. "Redefining" what constitutes Thai airspace would be a matter for international discussion, but that isn't happening here - the PM is talking about improving airports and aviation oversight. The writer just chose an incorrect term to describe his goals.

The PM is talking about redefining the airspace, back to Category 1 status, because in June 2015, ICAO flagged the country with a Significant Safety Concern (SSC) label for failing to maintain international standards. Two months later, the FAA downgraded Thailand to Category 2 over similar concerns. 
 

ICAO lifted the red flag against Thailand in 2017, paving the way for Thai carriers to expand their international networks; however, the FAA downgrade remains in place. The next FAA inspection is in a few months, so yes it is up for international discussion.

The Convention on International Civil Aviation, Article 1, states,

 

The contracting States recognise that every State has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the air-space above its territory.

 

ICAO Doc 7300/9

 

https://www.icao.int/publications/Documents/7300_9ed.pdf

Edited July 8 by Georgealbert

[Lancelot01]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy: Facebook Phuket Intl. Airport

 

In an ambitious stride toward redefining Thailand's airspace, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to overhaul the nation’s airports, aiming to meet global standards and establish Thailand as a top regional aviation hub.

 

The plan, spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport Suriya Juangroongruangkit, targets enhancements in aviation safety, customer service, and operational efficacy.

 

The upgrade is not just about refurbishment but a strategic move to improve Thailand's aviation credentials on the world stage.

 

The government has pinpointed several critical areas for development, with a key focus on meeting the rigorous standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States.

 

This adjustment is pivotal for expanding Thailand’s flight connectivity to the U.S. and potentially other international destinations.

 

 

Core improvements will be seen at Bangkok's two main airports—Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. Suvarnabhumi Airport, already a focal point of Thailand's air traffic, is set to expand its passenger accommodation space by adding 81,000 square meters and a third runway by September 2024, which is expected to boost its capacity from 68 to 94 flights per hour.

 

In terms of global rankings, efforts seem to be paying off as Suvarnabhumi leapt 10 places up, securing a spot in the top 58 global airports for 2024. On the other hand, Don Mueang continues to excel as one of the world’s leading low-cost airline terminals.

 

The overarching goal for the Thai aviation sector is to feature among the top 20 global airports by 2029, with the ability to handle around 170 million passengers and 1 million flights annually. By 2034, these figures are expected to soar even higher to 210 million passengers and 1.2 million flights.

 

These efforts are part of Thailand's broader economic vision to leverage its geographic location and available resources to become a leader in the aviation sector, enhancing overall connectivity and boosting tourism and trade.

 

-- 2024-07-08

 

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Let me guess, starting with Hua Hin, again?