BANGKOK — Thai technology firm Sky ICT aims to prepare Thailand’s airports for a position on the regional stage by utilizing artificial intelligence and humanoid robots. The company calls the initiative “Intelligent Aviation” and unveiled it following discussions at international aviation conferences in Singapore and Greece.
CEO Sitthidej Mailarp of Sky ICT outlines a three-phase plan. The first phase involves a central data platform—the "Aviation Data Hub"—which aggregates information from all airport systems to facilitate faster decision-making. This is followed by personalized services: AI that analyzes traveler behavior to provide targeted offers and travel advice, while also utilizing aircraft data to predict maintenance needs before equipment fails.
The third and most striking phase is dubbed the "Empowered – Autonomous Airport"—an airport that operates through automation, biometric identification, and robots. Humanoid robots will provide travelers with information and directions, much like human staff do today, while other service robots will handle the transport of luggage and packages onto conveyor belts.Send feedback
CEO Sitthidej Mailarp of Sky ICT outlines a three-phase plan. The first phase involves a central data platform—the "Aviation Data Hub"—which aggregates information from all airport systems to facilitate faster decision-making. This is followed by personalized services: AI that analyzes traveler behavior to provide targeted offers and travel advice, while also utilizing aircraft data to predict maintenance needs before equipment fails.
Thailand as a Regional Hub
Sky ICT views the global shift toward automation as an opportunity for Thailand to position itself as a regional aviation hub. The company points to the establishment of a "Flight Operations Center of Excellence"—part of the Skywise platform, a digital support initiative by Airbus and ICAO—as evidence of confidence in Thailand’s digital infrastructure.
Meanwhile, significant physical expansion is also underway: the new SAT-1 terminal and a third runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport, expansion plans for Don Mueang Airport, and the development of U-Tapao Airport within the Eastern Economic Corridor. These projects are intended to increase total capacity to 150–200 million passengers per year—leveraging Thailand’s strategic location between East Asia, South Asia, Europe, and Australia as a key advantage for both passenger and cargo traffic.
For the past ten years, Sky ICT has been building digital systems at Thai airports, ranging from automated check-in counters to baggage handling systems and biometric gates. Later this year, the first humanoid robot is set to appear at Suvarnabhumi, alongside a new “intelligent” operations center for ground staff.
Source: bangkokbiznews
