BANGKOK, 25 January 2013 (NNT) – The Department of Civil Aviation is preparing to upgrade provincial airports in a bid to accommodate increased air travel from 2015, when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) comes into being.

Director-General of the Department of Civil Aviation Woradej Harnprasert said air transport services in Thailand need to be improved in preparation for the country’s integration into the ASEAN Community. The department plans to propose a budget of over 1.7 billion baht to carry out repair work and expand sections in airports nationwide.

Mr Woradej said the department will inject a fund of 760 million baht to expand runways and construct additional terminals at Mae Sot Airport in Tak province. A new airport is also poised to be built in Betong district of Yala province with an investment of 1 billion baht.

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