The Government of Thailand has instructed Airports of Thailand (AOT) to conduct a feasibility study on assuming management of 28 regional airports currently operated by the Department of Airports (DOA). The directive expands an earlier proposal that covered only Udon Thani, Krabi, and Buriram airports.
The DOA oversees 28 domestic airports, which handled an estimated 14.23 million passengers in FY2025 (October 2024–September 2025), with volumes projected to exceed 17.13 million in the next fiscal year. Six airports—Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Udon Thani, and Krabi—have been flagged as having high commercial potential. Collectively, these facilities reported revenues of over THB668 million against expenses of THB548 million and serve 2,500–5,000 passengers daily, with Krabi exceeding 5,000.
The consolidation study aims to establish a long-term national aviation strategy that improves operational efficiency, strengthens connectivity for tourism and commerce, and enhances financial sustainability. AOT’s potential management of the network is expected to streamline operations and integrate dozens of domestic aviation hubs under a unified state enterprise framework.