การบินไทยร่วมลงนามกับ กองทัพเรือ และสำนักงานคณะกรรมการนโยบายเขตพัฒนาพิเศษภาคตะวันออก ในบันทึกข้อตกลงเบื้องต้นว่าด้วยการให้สิทธิแก่บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน) เพื่อประกอบกิจการบนพื้นที่ท่าอากาศยานนานาชาติอู่ตะเภา ซึ่งเป็นพื้นที่เขตส่งเสริมเศรษฐกิจพิเศษ

Today (8 August 2018), Admiral Naris Pratumsuwan, Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy, Mr. Chokchai Panyayong, Deputy Secretary-General, Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), and Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), together signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that grants THAI the rights to operate at U-Tapao International Airport in the Eastern Special Development Zone. 
Also present at the MOU Signing Ceremony in the Banquet Room at the Royal Thai Navy, Wang Nantha Utthayan area, were Admiral Sophon Wattanamongkol, President of the Royal Thai Navy Advisory Group, Flying Officer Chalermpol Intarawong, Director of the Infrastructure Office, Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), Mr. Surachai Piencharoensak, THAI Executive Vice President, Technical Department, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, THAI Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Flight Lieutenant Kanok Thongpurk, THAI Executive Vice President, Legal Management and General Administration.

Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI Acting President, said that the MOU with the Royal Thai Navy which allows THAI to operate at U-Tapao International Airport in the Eastern Special Development Zone.  The MOU agreement results from the feasibility study and analysis that was conducted on the Aircraft Maintenance Center that will be constructed at U-Tapao International Airport, the outcome of which will be used as part of the agreement in principle for its eventual establishment.

At the MOU signing ceremony, the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), which holds ownership of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), and the Royal Thai Navy, as the entity that manages the EEC area, handed over the authority for THAI to operate and provide services at the TG MRO Campus that will be constructed at U-Tapao International Airport.  The TG MRO Campus, a pioneer project in the EEC area of vital importance to Thailand, is the result of successful cooperative efforts between THAI and the government sector.

Once the project receives approval in principle from the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee and the Cabinet, THAI and the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) will enter into an agreement to establish leasing conditions and benefits, compensation, as well as rights and responsibilities.  The agreement will enable the TG MRO Campus project to move forward according to laws and regulations concerned.

The Aircraft Maintenance Center at U-Tapao International Airport will be one of the most modern in the commercial aviation industry, with growth capacity for the next 20 years, technical services that are on time, suitable prices, high quality and safety, based on the concept “On Time, On Cost, On Quality.”  Services will range from ramp handling technical maintenance and various type of aircraft maintenance, fully equipped with the most modern technology and auditing that will be able to analyze and forecast aircraft maintenance tasks.  The TG MRO Campus will be equipped with a state-of-the-art Smart Hangar that will reduce costs and be environmentally conscious, including an aircraft engineer training school that paves the way for a strong future for aviation and aircraft maintenance in Southeast Asia.