Prayut urges Gitsda to get serious about selling Thailand as spacecraft launch base

Tipanan Sirichana, a deputy government spokesperson, said on Sunday that outgoing Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has told Gitsda to speed up its feasibility study of setting up a station for the launching of spacecraft in Thailand.

She said Gitsda began the study late last year and reckons it will take about two years to complete. However, Prayut wants the study to be hastened because if a space station is successfully established, it would lead to aerospace industry developments, which in turn would benefit the economy.

Thailand will also earn from the aerospace industry, which is one of the country’s 10 target industries, she said, adding that it would also benefit other related industries.

Prayut, meanwhile, has told Gitsda to be prudent and ensure the study is comprehensive, Tipanan said.

She added that Gitsda’s initial study shows that Thailand is suitable for becoming a space station hub because:

• It is located near the equator, so launching spacecraft would consume less energy

• It has the Andaman Sea on one side and the Gulf of Thailand on the other

• It has a long coast, so it can create drop zones for used fuel rockets to drop without affecting facilities on land

• It has a comprehensive logistics system with deep seaports and airports

• It is not hit by severe natural disasters yearly

She added that Prayut believes that if a space station hub was set up in Thailand, it would create many jobs in the country. In fact, she said, Thailand could even sell tours to space.

Tipanan added that Prayut had prepared for the mission by drafting and enacting the 2023-2037 National Space Master Plan.