The Transport Ministry said yesterday, June 2, that it is moving ahead with plans to develop Udon Thani airport into an aviation hub for the Indochina region by supporting new international routes and closer cooperation with Thai VietJet Air.
Deputy Transport Minister Phattrapong Phattraprasit chaired a meeting with Department of Airports (DOA) officials and Thai VietJet Air executives to discuss plans.
The ministry is backing Thai VietJet Air’s fleet expansion and route development plans to improve domestic and international connectivity while positioning Udon Thani airport as the main gateway for travel in Upper Northeast Thailand.
He added that the ministry and the Department of Airports are ready to support new routes through airport fee incentives, promotional campaigns and cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and provincial authorities.
The measures are intended to boost tourism and attract more international visitors to Thailand.
Thai VietJet Air chief executive Captain Woranate Laprabang presented the airline’s four-phase expansion plan. From August 2026, Thai VietJet Air plans to increase its domestic schedule from 98 to 147 flights per week, including expanding the Bangkok to Udon Thani route from 21 to 35 weekly flights.
The airline also plans to introduce international connections from Udon Thani to Osaka, Tokyo (Narita), Da Nang and Taipei via Suvarnabhumi Airport. Passengers will be able to check in and check their baggage through to their final destination without collecting luggage during the transfer.
Further expansion plans include launching international routes from Khon Kaen and Surat Thani, while direct services between Udon Thani and Ho Chi Minh City, and Krabi and Ho Chi Minh City, are being studied for 2027.
Thai VietJet Air is also planning to work with EZY Airlines to connect Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with Udon Thani airport, allowing passengers to continue their journeys to Thailand’s secondary cities.
DOA Director-General Danai Ruangsorn said Udon Thani airport has strong growth potential. In 2025, the airport handled 13,737 flights and more than two million passengers, the highest traffic volume among airports in Northeast Thailand operated by the department.
The introduction of international services, Danai added, would help establish Udon Thani as a sustainable economic and tourism hub for the Indochina region.
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