Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to study the context of the aircraft maintenance industry in Thailand and create a strategic model for the development of the aircraft maintenance industry in Thailand. This study was a step-by-step integrated research. This started from document studies. In-depth interviews of qualitative research and participatory action research were used in the study. In-depth interviews were conducted to a sample of 20 people involved in the aircraft maintenance industry of Thailand and they were divided into 3 groups: 1) expert group of Aircraft Maintenance Industry, 2) expert group related to Aircraft Maintenance Industry, Aircraft Spare Part Manufacture, and Aircraft Industry and customers and people in Human Resources Department, 3) expert group from government agencies and relevant parties. Focus group was used to confirm the results from the in-depth interviews to create a strategic approach for the development of the aircraft maintenance industry in Thailand. The instrument used in this research was an in-depth interview and mode was used for data analysis. The results of the study revealed that the context of the aircraft maintenance industry in Thailand must be in line with the support factors from the 12th Economic and Social Development Plan (2017-2021) which involved in being an aircraft repair center that required the cooperation between public, government, and business sectors by using public policies as targets to increase effectiveness and measure the success of aircraft maintenance work that was in line with the air transport business supply chain. In fact, air transportation business must respond to customer needs and add value in the aircraft maintenance industry in creating competitive advantage and in upgrading to be a domestic maintenance center with international standards. The most effective and beneficial nations strategy to develop the aircraft maintenance industry was to develop the potential of the personnel involved, construct infrastructure and facilities for aircraft maintenance, establish strategic partnerships for the development of modern technology, establish a working group on policy and strategic partnerships with national aviation agencies, manage investment with the leadership of the government, and there should be regulatory agencies to certify aviation standards to be equivalent to international standards.