Transport Ministry urges finalising plans for airport management

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (TNA) -- The Ministry of Transport has ordered the Airports of Thailand Co Ltd (AoT) and the Department of Airports (DOA) to reach a consensus over which airports the AOT will be given the responsibility to develop on top of the main international airports it currently manages. Deputy Minister of Transport Pailin Chuchottaworn today met with the AoT executives to discuss a proposal to have the AoT manage other airports on top of the six it already handles. The Transport Ministry has plans to hand over management responsibilities of provincial airports to AoT to facilitate speedier development to support the growing tourist sector. Accordingly, Mr Pailin has ordered the AoT to meet with the DOA and come up with a workable timetable within the next 3- 6 months. A decision must be reached over which airports the AoT will handle which must support the government's plans to promote tourism to secondary provinces. One hurdle to the booming tourism sector is that at present entry into the country is clustered at the two main central airports in the capital. The ministry has announced that it was currently surveying selected provinces for the highest potential for rapid development. These will then be matched with the DOA's national airport blueprint so that development programs can be initiated. The airports that will most likely be handed over to the AoT first for development are Tak and Udon Thani airports. (TNA)