BANGKOK: Thailand has pledged to improve the efficiency of its air navigation services and related aviation solutions in both normal and emergency situations, Transport Deputy Minister Surapong Piyachote said on Friday (July 5).
His commitment follows a recent report showing a new record of international flights from China, with 100% growth, and aligning with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's government's national development policies, which include improving aviation as one of the key agendas for moving forward.
According to a recent report, Thailand-China flights accounted for the highest proportion of total international flight volume from October 2023 to May 2024 (20%). The volume of flights between the two countries was 55,433, up 213% from the same period last year. It is expected that 86,150 flights will be operated between Thailand and China in 2024, representing a 126% increase over the previous year.
Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, and Krabi airports currently receive flights from China, with cargo and passenger pick-up and drop-off flights available, with the exception of Don Mueang and Samui. Many airlines have now resumed services on the Thailand-China route, with requests to add flights to major economic destinations such as Chengdu.
Meanwhile, Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Samui airports had a total of 5,896 round-trip flights to Chengdu over the last eight months. The number is expected to increase to 8,850 in 2024, representing a 265% increase year on year.
The figures show that Thailand's aviation industry will benefit from increased collaboration with China to improve efficiency and capacity, as well as the establishment of new routes to increase flight volume, the deputy minister said.
Apart from further enhancing mutual collaboration with counterparts in China, Surapong said the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) was assigned to expedite the expansion of capacity to accommodate the increasing number of flights.
The agency has now established a new flight route called “Parallel Route”, which includes the development of air navigation infrastructure to improve the efficiency of air traffic services.
Meanwhile, Aerothai continues to improve its technology system, airspace structure, and management guidelines in order to accommodate the number of flights and provide tourists with convenient, fast, and safe services, Surapong said.
He emphasised that Aerothai should prepare a new air traffic management system as well as a location to install the new system in order to increase efficiency and capacity to accommodate future flight volume growth.
With an estimated 2 million flights in 2038, the minister emphasised the importance of preparing aviation work ahead of time in order to sustain the country's goal of flight routes and designing airspace accordingly.
Aerothai's president, Nopasit Chakpitak, said that the agency had prepared and determined measures to provide air traffic services, including the readiness of the Air Traffic Flow Management system to support increased air traffic volumes and ensure that all flights entering Thai airspace were efficient and safe.
Aerothai has prepared guidelines for air traffic service operations to support the increase in capacity as part of the Suvarnabhumi Airport Development and Expansion Project Phase 2. The third runway will be operational in September 2024.
He highlighted runway optimisation, which involves arranging the distance between incoming and outgoing aircraft to be equivalent to the world's leading airports, allowing the airport to accommodate the most number of possible flights.
In addition, the company is using technology to manage inbound flights, specifically the Arrival Manager system and the Intelligent Departure system, to improve air traffic agility and enable flights to be on time in following the flight schedule to accommodate the maximum number of flights, he said.
Meanwhile, to promote Thailand as an aviation hub, Aerothai has implemented the development of U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City. It is currently in phase zero, with the goal of supporting aviation by focusing on air cargo transportation from the Eastern Economic Region, particularly flights from China, and eventually developing and promoting U-Tapao Airport as an aircraft maintenance centre.
Given that Aerothai must provide international services, the company applied the concept of Aerotropolis from Chengdu International Airport by conducting extensive research and data analytics using advanced technology and effective airport management to improve Aerothai services in all aspects. - The Nation/ANN
