Bangkok: Mr. Chitwan Chinnanuwat, Chiang Rai MP for the People's Party, has raised concerns regarding the allocation of the airport investment budget, claiming it does not accurately reflect actual usage potential.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chitwan debated the draft Budget Act for the 2026 fiscal year, highlighting the need for a review of the investment plan to ensure efficient usage of airports.
The Department of Airports, under the Ministry of Transport, has allocated 5.349 billion baht for the 2026 budget, of which 4.73 billion baht, approximately 88.44%, is earmarked for investment. This budget aims to continue the development of airport infrastructure, safety, and international standards, with a goal to increase passenger capacity to 54 million and certify standards at seven public airports.
Mr. Chitwan pointed out that many airports, such as Krabi, Udon Thani, Surat Thani, and Khon Kaen, are experiencing overcapacity, indicating a need for more investment in infrastructure and management systems. Conversely, airports like Betong, Phrae, and Mae Hong Son have low service levels but receive disproportionately high investment budgets compared to their passenger volumes, raising questions about budget efficiency.
He provided examples such as Trang Airport, which spent 455 million baht but utilized only 63.36% of its flights, and Chumphon Airport, which spent 286 million baht with only 14.79% flight utilization. Meanwhile, Krabi Airport, with over 140% flight usage, received a budget of just 322 million baht despite being an international airport.
To address these issues, Mr. Chitwan proposed a reduction in unnecessary airport investments, suggesting a budget cut of 35 million baht for specific urgent needs, such as acquiring X-ray machines for Hua Hin and a foreign object detection system for the runway in Phitsanulok.
He emphasized the imbalance in the 2016 airport budget allocation, where underutilized airports receive high budgets while overburdened ones receive less. Mr. Chitwan stressed the need to review investment plans and reduce unnecessary budgets to ensure efficient operations, meet public needs, and support the local economy.