A major step towards this took place in late June when Thai Airways and European aerospace giant Airbus launched a joint venture MRO facility at U-Tapao International Airport.
The complex will allow for the analysis of aircraft maintenance data using the latest digital technologies, and will feature specialised repair shops and a maintenance-training centre.
The MRO centre will be one of a number of projects undertaken at the airport in the coming years, with Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana saying in late May that the masterplan for the airport would be released in July.
"The development of the airport should enable Thailand to create a vibrant and innovative MRO industry," Pierre Jaffre, president of Asia-Pacific for Airbus Group, told the Oxford Business Group.
"Our JV with Thai Airways will allow us to create advanced maintenance facilities capable of handling all wide-body aircraft types."
Thai and Airbus have been allocated a 32ha area within an 80ha MRO centre, with initial operations to begin in 2022.
To meet the demand for seats, aircraft numbers operating on Asia-Pacific routes are forecast to almost triple over the coming 20 years, rising from about 6000 to 17,000 - a strong indicator of the potential for regional MRO services.
