Bangkok, 7 October 2024 - The Airlines Association of Thailand, in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, hosted the “Thai Aviation Sustainability Day”, which featured key presentations and discussions on sustainability in the aviation industry. Experts and stakeholders from various sectors gathered to exchange ideas and perspectives, united in their efforts towards a more sustainable future for aviation, with the goal to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Government officials and senior executives from leading airlines across the country convened to discuss strategies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Internationally, carbon dioxide emissions will be regulated through the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). For the domestic market, the discussions focused on analyzing the readiness to adopt Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and the potential of the carbon credit market.

Under the SAF pilot initiative, airlines will be required to use 1% of total fuel consumption by 2026, with a potential increase to 3-5% in subsequent years. Executives from major oil companies in Thailand expressed readiness to invest in SAF production to meet the growing demand. Regarding carbon credits, the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO) has launched the Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Program (T-VER). Additionally, the TGO is close to obtaining approval for the Premium T-VER project from ICAO, which will provide further support and offer more options in the carbon credit market for the aviation industry.

Although Thailand is one of the ASEAN countries making significant progress in reducing GHG emissions, achieving this goal still requires strong collaboration from all sectors, including transportation, environment, and energy. Collaborative action across these areas is essential to driving long-term sustainability.

This marks a significant milestone for the Thai aviation industry as it hosts the first event focused on sustainability, aimed at raising awareness of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders across various sectors. Additionally, AirAsia reaffirms its commitment to continuously collaborate with all sectors to exchange knowledge and drive collective efforts towards achieving shared goals in a tangible manner.