Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is eyeing fresh investment to upgrade Mae Sot and Khon Kaen airports under its plan to build regional aviation hubs to serve a growing number of passengers.
The airports are supervised by the Department of Airports, but AoT, which runs the country's six major airports including Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, sees a need to use its experience as the government's aviation business arm for the new development.
Upgrades of the airports must be done in tandem with a good marketing strategy, said AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn.
AoT owns Chiang Mai and Mae Fa Luang airports in the North. If Mae Sot airport, located in the northwestern province of Tak, is developed, it will help support its plan to build a regional aviation hub, he said.
Development of Mae Sot airport will assist travel to Tak, one of 10 provinces under the government's special economic zone (SEZ) policy to promote border trade between Thailand and neighbouring countries. Logistics and tourism are among the industries expected to benefit from the SEZ policy.
Mae Sot is a far-flung district opposite the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar.
As for AoT's planned aviation hub in the Northeast, Khon Kaen airport has drawn interest. However, because the development plan has yet to be finalised, Udon Thani airport is an interesting alternative, Mr Nitinai said.
The airport development proposal is now being considered by the Committee for National Administration under the Framework of National Reform, Strategy and Reconciliation chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The committee is in talks with the Department of Airports regarding AoT's role in the new development.
Although it is important to build facilities to serve the growing number of passengers, developers should not ignore the possibility that airports may also lose passengers in the future if they do not come up with the right marketing plan, Mr Nitinai said.
Developers must think more about competition outside aviation, Mr Nitinai said. The country is developing rail routes, including the high-speed rail system. This transportation channel can draw more passengers in the future, he said.