The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has outlined a three-stage plan to transform the country into a leading aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region by 2037. The plan aims to increase Thailand’s air traveller capacity to 270 million passengers annually.
In the plan’s first stage, which runs until 2025, the CAAT will focus on expanding airport facilities to handle 1.2 million flights and 180 million passengers per year. Additionally, the goal is to reduce the minimum connecting time (MCT) for international flights to no more than 75 minutes.
The second stage, from 2026 to 2028, aims to increase airport capacity to 1.4 million flights further and 210 million passengers annually by 2028, with the MCT reduced to no more than 60 minutes.
The final stage, from 2029 to 2037, targets a capacity of 2.1 million flights and 270 million passengers per year, with an MCT of less than 45 minutes. By 2037, Thailand aims to be one of the top five countries in the Asia-Pacific for airfreight volume.
Further, the CAAT plans to collaborate with various agencies including the Department of Airports, Airports of Thailand, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, the Civil Aviation Training Centre, and the Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel. This coordinated effort is expected to support and enhance each organisation’s operations and contribute to the overall success of the plan.
