Airports of Thailand could be for the first time of its history a major element in the management and development of airports in neighbouring countries. Myanmar is now on the radar of the Thai airports’ authority.
BANGKOK- The state-controlled Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is in talks with Myanmar’s Airport Authority involving a broad range of possible cooperations including AoT becoming a joint venture partner and running these airports.
“The discussions are open to all kinds of possibilities,” said Somchai Sawasdeepon, AoT’s acting president, adding that the agency is keen to help develop major infrastructure at Myanmar’s airports.
He said AoT hopes to see a possible tie-up with the Airport Authority as a first step towards engaging in airport operations and investment in two other neighbours -Laos and Cambodia.
It will be the first time in AoT’s 33-year history for it to formulate a plan incorporating foreign international airports. Talks with Myanmar are only in the preliminary stage but centre on a memorandum of understanding that would pave the way for both sides to pinpoint the scope and areas of cooperation. However, no quick decision will be approved as it is against the ethics.
“We [AoT] should have a clearer picture in the next three months,” Mr Somchai told the Bangkok Post, adding that the Myanmar’s Airport Authority first approached AoT about the cooperation about a month ago.
He said Myanmar’s major airports offer good passenger and cargo traffic opportunities, as the country is opening up after 50 years of isolation by embracing political and economic reforms.
With a surge in inbound traffic expected, Myanmar is redeveloping Yangon airport to double its passenger capacity to 5.5 million. Myanmar’s Civil Aviation Department said Yangon airport handled 2.4 million passengers last year and expects 2.8 million this year.
Passenger traffic through the airport is expected to increase by 20-23% a year, reaching 5.5 million in four years.The expansion of Yangon airport will take place at the same time as construction of the new Hanthawaddy Airport in Bago, 50 kilometres from Yangon.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
