Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s plan to further develop airports in secondary cities in order to boost tourism and the economy has been met with positive reactions from local businesses.
Operators in Nakhon Ratchasima province said they were optimistic that the government’s initiative will help revitalize its airport and connect it to the province’s extensive network of road and rail transportation networks.
Pongthep Malachasing, head of Nakhon Ratchasima’s tourism promotion association, said he hopes the government will consider upgrading the province’s airport to increase air traffic, as well as connecting to other airports in the country. He emphasized that Nakhon Ratchasima Airport, located about 30 kilometers from the city, has so far failed to attract large numbers of travelers and requires political support.
Despite being able to facilitate large aircraft, with a terminal capacity of up to 300 people per hour, the airport currently only serves flights for trainee pilots, as airlines have ceased commercial flights to and from the airport due to financial losses.
Meanwhile, Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, has urged the new government to help boost the tourism sector. He stressed the importance of attracting overseas visitors and advised the incoming government to quickly implement measures for revitalizing the economy during the final quarter of 2023.
He added that the private sector is looking forward to seeing concrete measures after the government delivers its policy statement to parliament. (NNT)
