BANGKOK — The Thai Transport Ministry has scrapped a plan to transfer the management of three regional airports from the Department of Airports (DoA) to Airports of Thailand (AoT), citing concerns over budget allocation and staffing issues.
Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced that Udon Thani, Buriram, and Krabi airports would remain under the DoA’s supervision. The decision reverses a 2022 cabinet resolution that had halted airport upgrades until the transfer was finalized. Lifting this restriction will allow the government to resume infrastructure improvements at the affected airports.
The DoA currently operates 29 airports nationwide, while AoT, a publicly listed company, manages six, including Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. The transfer plan had raised concerns about complicating upgrades, as projects under AoT often require public-private partnerships.
The ministry’s decision clears the way for the DoA to seek a six-billion-baht budget for airport upgrades in the 2026 fiscal year. Udon Thani Airport, the busiest in northeastern Thailand, has faced delays in essential improvements since 2018. Planned upgrades aim to bring several airports in line with the latest International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
Meanwhile, AoT is continuing its own expansion projects, including upgrades to Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, as well as plans for new airports in northern and southern Thailand.
