MRO project in U-tapao seen as a key venture in promoting aviation in the EEC

The signing ceremony took place during Prayut’s official visit to France where Airbus is headquartered. Earlier, Prayut also visited the UK and held talks with British prime minister Theresa May. Usanee Saengsingkaew, acting president of THAI, represented the national flag carrier at the ceremony in Toulouse, while Airbus was represented by Eric Schulz, its executive vice president.
The MRO project is a major component of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) mega-investment project where the government aims to promote aviation and other industries.
The planned MRO hub will have the latest equipment and systems for all major types of jetliners’ maintenance and repair work using digital, analytic and other technologies.
In addition, the project consists of a repair centre for composite materials used in aircraft as well as a state-of-the-art personnel training centre. 
The centre also will have resources and equipment to perform aircraft engine overhaul work for all Airbus fleets in the Asia and Pacific, where the airline and tourism industries have been growing at a rapid rate over the past several decades.
Dubbed as the largest MRO hub of its kind planned for Asia Pacific, the U-tapao facility will have an annual capacity to service up to 4,800 wide-bodied aircraft over the next two decades.
Prayut said the government aims to develop the U-tapao project and the EEC as a regional gateway for aviation and other industries. In addition, there will be linkages of land, sea and air transport services as well as development of a smart city and industrial parks within the EEC, which covers parts of Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao provinces.
Regarding the expansion of the U-tapao international airport, the premier said the airport, which will be linked with Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang international airports via a high-speed railway, will be able to serve up to 15 million passengers per year within the next five years. In the next stage, U-tapao will be further expanded to handle up to 60 million passengers per year.
When combined with the capacities of Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports, Thailand will have one of the largest airport capacities in the region to accommodate the high growth rate of its tourism industry.
As part of the “Thailand 4.0” initiative, the government has also promoted the so-called new S-curve industries in the EEC, including e-commerce and logistics, smart and electric automobiles, bio-tech, bio-medicine and other new industries.