The conceptual plan to develop new roles for Bangkok's old Don Mueang airport is now set to be implemented with the emergence of potential project sponsors.
EADS, the European aerospace and defence company, is among several international concerns that have already proposed to invest and operate aviationrelated facilities.
These facilities are among six new functions that Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) recently defined for the 95-yearold airfield, which has been little used since the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport in September 2006.
The six planned facilities are: a maintenance centre for medium and small aircraft; a maintenance centre for landing gear for narrow-bodied aircraft; an aircraft parts stock management centre; a flight simulator facility; an international free-trade zone; and a private jet/air taxi terminal.
EADS, also the parent firm of the planemaker Airbus, wants to maintain landing gear for narrow-bodied jetliners such as the Airbus A320 at Don Mueang,said AoT president Serirat Prasutanond.
AoT has also received a couple of proposals to establish aircraft part inventories and expects to name the successful bidder to operate the private jet terminal by the end of next month, he said.
The private jet terminal looks set to be the first of the proposed facilities to be implemented, giving a new lease of life for the airport, which currently serves a few domestic flights by budget carriers Nok Air and One-Two-Go.
EADS is seeking privileges from the Board of Investment for the maintenance facility, expected to cost 1 billion baht.
Europe Aviation is also reported to be competing to set up an aircraft maintenance centre at Don Mueang.
Both EADS and Europe Aviation are also requesting that the BoI to waive the 49% limit on foreign ownership of an aircraft maintenance operations in Thailand.
Mr Serirat clarified that AoT would not invest in these proposed facilities but would offer the space at Don Mueang in return for concession fees.
Meanwhile, the AoT president yesterday reiterated at an international airport conference that the majority stateowned company was determined to push Suvarnabhumi Airport into the ranks of the top 10 best airports in the world according to the Geneva-based Airports Council International's ratings this year.
Suvarnabhumi moved from 40th position in 2007 to 28th in 2008 and to 19th place in the first quarter of this year.
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