Green Airport Development in Thailand: Integration with the Thailand–China Aviation Supply Chain

Abstract

Green airport development is a critical imperative for global aviation amid escalating climate challenges. This study evaluates the environmental performance of six primary international airports in Thailand within the Thailand-China aviation supply chain. Using a systematic benchmarking methodology against six global leading airports and Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) data, the research identifies significant performance gaps. Thai airports average only 5.8% renewable energy utilization and emit 3.8 kg CO2 per passenger, whereas international benchmarks achieve 41.7% renewable energy and 2.0 kg CO2 per passenger. Furthermore, Thailand recycling rate (21.2%) lags substantially behind the international average of 67.7%. The analysis identifies five systemic barriers: infrastructure limitations, investment constraints, technology gaps, policy fragmentation, and underdeveloped supply chain integration. To address these, the study proposes five strategic recommendations: (1) establishing a National Green Airport Master Plan; (2) mobilizing private capital through Public-Private Partnerships; (3) developing Chiang Mai Airport as an integrated pilot green hub; (4) transforming the Thailand-China corridor into a green logistics model; and (5) accelerating the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) ecosystem. These findings provide a strategic framework for positioning Thailand as a regional green aviation hub and contribute to the literature on sustainable logistics in emerging economies.