BANGKOK: Anand Stanley (pic), President of Airbus for the Asia-Pacific region, announced that Thailand is emerging as a global leader in aviation, with rapid growth in the aviation industry, aviation technology, and aircraft orders. Airbus sees Thailand not just as a hub for Aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services but as a significant centRE for advanced technology and engineering within the region’s aviation sector.
Stanley pointed out that the Asia-Pacific region is the fastest-growing aviation market in the world, and Airbus forecasts a demand for about 20,000 new aircraft in the region over the next 20 years, accounting for half of the global aircraft demand. Thailand is identified as one of the largest markets within this growth, he said.
“This year, we expect to deliver a total of 820 aircraft globally, with the majority of orders coming from the Asia-Pacific region,” he said. “In Thailand, Airbus aircraft are operated by Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, and Thai VietJet. Soon, Thai Airways will be launching its A321neo aircraft, featuring a new business-class seating configuration by the end of this year.”
Stanley further emphasised that Airbus is committed to supporting Thailand’s aviation industry, contributing to the country's economic development. The aviation sector in Thailand plays a key role in employment, with over 130,000 jobs and contributing over seven per cent to the country’s GDP before the Covid-19 pandemic. Thailand is also recognised as a leader in sustainability in the region.
Additionally, Airbus believes Thailand has the potential to produce more than five million tonnes of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) annually. The country’s agricultural sector, which can provide excellent raw materials for SAF production—such as molasses, rice straw, corn stalks, and animal waste—aligns with Airbus’s commitment to working with the Thai government and SAF producers to promote sustainable aviation fuel production.
To further underscore its commitment to Thailand, Airbus has invested in a new 1,200-square-metre office in the country, which also houses NAVBLUE, Airbus’s digital aviation operations unit. The new office will serve as a testing and verification centre for software solutions before delivery to global airline customers. It will also function as a regional operations hub to support and assist aircraft customers across the Asia-Pacific region in real time. - The Nation/ANN
