Bangkok: The government is grooming Thailand to become an aviation hub, paving the way for seamless "seaplane" connectivity between the Andaman Sea and other regions. Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phatarapong, has outlined pilot flights between Krabi and Phuket within this year to attract high-quality tourists and stimulate a new maritime economy.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, is moving forward with enhancing the country's transportation and tourism capabilities to propel Thailand towards becoming a regional aviation hub. This is coupled with developing quality tourist attractions and creating added economic value from tourism in various regions of the country.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office stated that Mr. Pattarapong Pattaraprasit, Deputy Minister of Transport, visited Krabi International Airport to monitor its operations and held discussions with government and private sector agencies regarding the feasibility of launching seaplane services. This aims to enhance connectivity to key tourist destinations on the Andaman coast and provide a new, convenient, and fast travel option for discerning tourists from around the world.
Mr. Patarapong said that the Ministry of Transport aims to develop Krabi International Airport into an "Airport for Regional Development," seamlessly connecting the airport with various coastal and island tourist destinations to support the future growth of the tourism industry. Seaplanes will be another piece of transportation infrastructure that will enhance Thailand's tourism competitiveness.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office stated that, in order to push the project forward concretely, the Ministry of Transport is in the process of establishing a "Strategic Integration Committee to Promote the Use of Seaplanes" to integrate the work of government agencies, experts, and the private sector in defining operational guidelines under aviation safety standards. Mr. Patarapong has been assigned by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, to serve as the chairman of the committee.
The government views seaplanes not only as a way to facilitate travel for high-value and high-spending tourists, but also as a means to broadly contribute to the growth of related industries, including aviation, tourism, hotels, restaurants, service businesses, emergency medical services, and maritime security missions. This will ultimately generate sustainable income and employment in the area.
Mr. Phatarapong revealed that Krabi province will be the first pilot area in the country to launch seaplane services. He expects trial flights on the Krabi-Phuket route to begin within 2026, which will be a significant step in developing a new form of air transportation in Thailand and serve as a model for connecting coastal tourist destinations in other areas in the future.