Thai government orders Airports of Thailand to explore takeover of 28 regional airports
The Thai government has ordered Airports of Thailand (AOT) to study the feasibility of taking over management of 28 regional airports currently operated by the Department of Airports (DOA).
This directive expands on an initial proposal that only considered three airports, now encompassing all 28 to create a comprehensive national aviation strategy.
The primary goal of the potential consolidation is to boost the efficiency, profitability, and connectivity of the national airport network for tourism and commerce.
Among the 28 airports under review, six have been identified as having high potential for profitability, including Krabi, Udon Thani, and Surat Thani.
Deputy PM Phiphat seeks to integrate dozens of domestic aviation hubs under state enterprise to boost national network efficiency and profitability.
The Thai government is moving ahead with plans to consolidate the country’s airport infrastructure, with Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) instructed to study the feasibility of assuming management control of 28 regional airports.
The directive came from Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who revealed the scope of the study has been widened beyond the original proposal, which only covered Udon Thani, Krabi, and Buriram airports.
Phiphat stated the primary objective of transferring the regional airports, currently overseen by the Department of Airports (DOA), to AOT is to establish a comprehensive, long-term strategy for the national aviation network.
This consolidation aims to maximise efficiency and strengthen connections across tourism, commerce, and, crucially, business management.
The DOA currently manages 28 domestic airports. Reporter figures show that in the financial year 2025 (1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025), these facilities are projected to serve 14.23 million passengers, with this figure expected to climb to over 17.13 million in the subsequent financial year.
Of the 28 airports, six have been identified as having high potential for profitability: Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Udon Thani, and Krabi.
These six airports collectively reported revenues of over 668 million baht against expenses of 548 million baht.
They handle an average of 2,500 to 5,000 passengers daily, with Krabi Airport surpassing the 5,000-passenger mark per day.
Source:https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40058567
