Bangkok Airways (PG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) says its plans to expand into the lucrative Myanmar market have been hampered by the Myanma Department of Civil Aviation (MmDCA)'s unwillingness to allocate it the requisite bilateral access rights.

The Myanmar Times reports that although Bangkok Airways has been studying flights from Chiang Mai to Bagan/Nyaung-u and Bangkok to Myeik, the MmDCA has said there are no immediate plans to open up either of the airports to Thai firms.

As the terms of Thailand's Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Myanmar do not currently provide Thai airlines with access to secondary Myanma cities, Bangkok Airways has pinned its hopes on the MmDCA issuing an exemption as was done in the special case presented by Nok Air (DD, Bangkok Don Mueang) to serve Mawlamyine from Mae Sot. In that instance, Nok Air promoted and marketed the city as a part of the greater Mon State.

Local carriers have reportedly lobbied the Myanmar authorities to restrict foreign carriers' access citing an already cutthroat domestic market.

According to the ch-aviation route database, Bangkok Airways currently serves Mandalay International, Nay Pyi Taw, and Yangon from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Mandalay and Yangon from Chiang Mai.