A consortium including Bangkok Airways (PG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) called BBS Joint Venture as well as Thai AirAsia (FD, Bangkok Don Mueang) parent Asia Aviation have submitted bids for the right to develop Utapao into an aerospace centre, the Bangkok Post has reported.
The project to expand the airport and build the adjacent Eastern Airport City Project is part of Thailand's government grand plan to turn the area into an economic powerhouse, dubbed the Eastern Economic Corridor. According to the plan, Utapao will become a major MRO centre and a hub for the aviation industry. Bangkok also hopes to attract manufacturers to set up assembly plants at the location.
The entire project is worth up to THB290 billion bahts (USD9.2 billion). Currently, the airport is managed by the Thai Navy.
Bangkok Airways is bidding in a consortium with Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction (STEC) and BTS Group Holdings, one of the operators of the Bangkok public transportation system. The airline President Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth recently told ch-aviation that Bangkok Airways would be looking to grow its non-airline businesses.
Asia Aviation, which owns 55% of Thai AirAsia, is bidding alone.
To date, a total of 24 Thai and 18 foreign companies expressed interest in developing Utapao and the adjacent airport city.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Utapao currently sees 105 weekly departures operated by nine airlines. Thai AirAsia is the airport's largest operator with 55.3% market share by capacity. Bangkok Airways offers 5.4% of seats per week.
