Bangkok Airways (PG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) is eyeing new routes to secondary cities in Myanmar, hoping to capitalise on their growing potential for tourism, The Myanmar Times has reported.

According to Vice-President (Sales) Varong Israsena, the Thai regional specialist is evaluating new routes to Bagan/Nyaung-u, Heho, and Myeik. The former airport serves the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bagan, Heho serves the Inle Lake, while Myeik is a gateway to islands in the southern part of the country.

Currently, none of the three airports has international status. The only three Myanma airports with international facilities are Yangon, Mandalay International, and Nay Pyi Taw. The government, however, intends to expand customs, immigration, and quarantine facilities at some secondary airports in order to boost foreign arrivals.

According to the ch-aviation capacities module, Bangkok Airways currently serves all three Myanma international gateways out of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, as well as Yangon and Mandalay out of Chiang Mai. It is the largest airline operating on the Thailand-Myanmar market with a 26.8% market share by capacity.