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Another Southeast Asian carrier, itself a spinoff of a recent startup, is ready to challenge the powers-that-be with discount services. Known now as Air Asia Aviation, the discounter is to begin operations from here next February to six domestic points using two Boeing 737-300s. Air Asia turned to the Thai telecommunications company Shin Corp. to take a 50% stake in the new venture. Shin Corp. is owned by the family of Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, although it's being portrayed as a non management investor.

Having sidestepped the SARS crisis better than most, Thai Airways International PLC has posted its 36th straight annual profit and has planned a $375-million offering to help it pay for a makeover and expanded services. The profit of 12.5 billion baht represented a 22 percent increase over last year and came despite the slowdown that SARS spread across Southeast Asia last spring, although Thailand was spared the worst of the pneumonia-like disease. To support the expansion, Thai is acquiring eight Airbus transports.

Repeats that after repeated denials the government of Thailand has acknowledged that the airport under construction in Bangkok recently named as Suvarnabhumi International Airport will not be opened as scheduled in February 2004. Reasons for the delay in the opening; Media comments generated by the airport; Changes made to the design of the airport over the years; Components of the airport's master plan.

Thai domestic carrier Phuket Airlines, barely three years old, is already eyeing aggressive expansion of its international network, with a focus on leisure and business travel markets. Phuket, owned by local businessman Vikrom Aisiri, started operations in December 2001 with two 64-seat YS-11A-200s and four domestic routes. The Bangkok-based carrier expects to launch thrice-weekly 747-300 flights to London, making it the second Thai airline on the route, after national flag carrier Thai Airways International. Other current international points include Chittagong in Bangladesh and Dubai. The carrier expects to acquire two additional 747-300s for the expansion of services later this year to Sydney, Prague and Moscow.

Bangkok, Thailand's status as a Southeast Asian hub is in jeopardy because the Thai government plans a hefty 35% increase in charges for the city's international airport. The increase is to come in two steps spread out between the last operating days of the existing Bangkok International Airport and the opening of a replacement on Sept. 28, 2005. First, a 20% hike is to take place on October 1, 2004, followed by a 15% increase when the new airport opens, according to Airports of Thailand, the government/private operator. In addition, the agency says passenger departure taxes are to see a 200-baht jump to 700 baht on October 1, 2005, while the fee for domestic flights will double to 100 baht. A senior agency official, who declined to be named, said the increases are needed to service the government's 86-billion-baht loan to cover construction costs of the 120-billion-baht airport.

Focuses on the expansion plans of the airport of Thailand. Increase in capacity of the airport after expansion; Increase in length of runway of the airport; Funding of the expansion project.

Reports the revision of the plan of closing the Bangkok International Airport in favor of the Nong Ngu Hao and New Bangkok International Airport (NBIA) in Bangkok, Thailand. Demand for the existing airport to handle all the domestic traffic; Responsibility of NBIA in handling international services; Criticisms on the government decision.

The article reports on the plan of Thai Airways International's engineering division (TGE) to build a hangar at the New Bangkok International Airport in Thailand to offer heavy and line maintenance for Airbus A380 airplanes. The hangar will accommodate three A380 at a time. TGE currently operates two maintenance bases in the country. It will start training its engineers for the A380 in early 2007.