The Thai Royal Family and visiting dignitaries might soon have a new aircraft. The Cabinet of Thailand has approved a budget totaling 8.78 billion baht ($276 million) spread over four years to replace the existing Airbus A340-500. The aircraft will be used to transport members of the royal family, cabinet ministers, members of the privy council, and guests of the Thai government.

The proposal was introduced by the Prime Minister's Secretariat and approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday. The funds are to be allocated toward procuring new aircraft and components and training personnel. The Royal Thai Air Force, which operates the current aircraft, confirmed it had prepared an operational plan which includes a budget estimate, corruption risk assessment, and list of procurement needs.

The aircraft is expected to be delivered in 2026, and no further details regarding potential replacement options are available. The plane will be operated by the 602 Squadron/Royal Flight Wihok, based at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport. The squadron is also responsible for other VIP aircraft, including an Airbus A319, two Airbus A320s, four Boeing 737s, and three Sukhoi SSJ100-95LR Superjets.

The existing quadjet

The current aircraft due to be replaced is an Airbus A340-500 registered HS-TYV. The quadjet was initially delivered to Thai Airways International in 2005 as HS-TLC and affectionately named Phitsanulok, after a historic city in Lower Northern Thailand. The widebody flew for the airline until June 2012 and was put in storage for several years before the Royal Thai Air Force acquired it in 2016.

The jet is used for VIP travel, humanitarian missions, repatriation flights, and official government business. The Airbus recently made headlines for flying what might be the longest-ever flight by the type. The November flight departed Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport for Charlotte Douglas International Airport and touched down after a total flight time of 18 hours and 14 minutes, covering some 7,859 nautical miles.

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The proposal for a new aircraft highlighted that maintenance costs for the aircraft are steadily increasing since Airbus suspended production of the type in 2012. The aircraft is reportedly scheduled for its next airworthiness assessment in 2026 and is one of the last of its kind to be actively operating.

The aircraft was most recently spotted flying the approximately one-hour link between Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport and Chiang Mai on two occasions last week.

Thailand's history with the A340-500

Thai International Airways was one of the primary operators of the Airbus A340 in the early 2000s. The airline operated 10 of the type, half of those being the A340-500 variant. Upon its launch, the aircraft had the most extended range of any airliner worldwide and saw service for almost a decade with the airline. Thai Airways also operated several of the longer Airbus A340-600s, which were retired in 2015.

The airline was able to sell five of the Airbus widebodies last year. The deal, with an undisclosed buyer, for one Airbus A340-500 and four A340-600 raised 350 million baht ($9.6 million) for the airline. The Airbus sold to the Royal Thai Air Force went for 1.75 billion baht ($48 million) in 2016.

The airline now focuses on more fuel-efficient aircraft and announced it would be leasing two Airbus A350s. The first of the two aircraft was recently spotted in full Thai Airways livery and is due to enter service imminently.

Source: The Bangkok Post, Dutch Aviation Society