Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) and Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to consider developing a maintenance and overhaul (MRO) facility at Utapao International Airport near Bangkok. The agreement was announced on their respective websites this week.
Signed by His Excellency Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, the MOU will allow the two companies to exchange information to evaluate the potential of developing the MRO complex.
"The new aircraft maintenance center will serve airlines across the region and worldwide as well as create sustainable revenue for THAI and Thailand," Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President of Thai Airways, said.
Utapao is a civilian/military airport located 115 kilometres from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. It has housed a Thai Airways maintenance facility since 1997 which can conduct heavy maintenance on two wide-bodied and one small aircraft type simultaneously. Should the new facility go ahead, it will provide light and heavy maintenance for various aircraft types, employ the latest technological advances, and will deploy drones to monitor aircraft frames. It will also include an aircraft maintenance training centre and specialised repair shops.
Fabrice Bregier, President, Airbus Commercial Aircraft, says the project will meet growing demand in the Asia-Pacific region. "With the fleet in the region set to almost triple to over 15,000 aircraft over the next 20 years, this project represents a sound opportunity for Thailand to develop its footprint in the aerospace sector," he said.
The project is touted as being part of Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor plan, which is aimed at developing Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard into a leading economic zone through infrastructure investment and development, particularly in the seaports and Utapao airport.
