Bangchak Supplies 1st Thailand-Produced SAF to Thai Airways Flight

July 20, 2026

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(Bangchak Corporation Public Company Ltd./Biobased Diesel Daily) Bangchak Group announced July 16 that it and Thai Airways have marked a significant milestone for Thailand’s aviation and energy industries with the first supply by Bangchak Group of Thailand-produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Thai Airways flight TG 409 on the Bangkok-Singapore route at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

This landmark collaboration between two leading Thai organizations supports efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from aviation and accelerate the energy transition toward net zero.

The SAF used for this flight was produced at Thailand’s first standalone SAF production facility, operated by Bangchak.

The facility commenced commercial operations in May, with an initial production capacity of 1 million liters (approximately 264,000 gallons) per day.

Used cooking oil (UCO) serves as the primary feedstock.

Compared with conventional aviation fuel, the SAF can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 80 percent over its lifecycle.

The production and supply system is certified under recognized international and EU standards.

“The global aviation industry is undergoing a significant transition, with SAF serving as a key mechanism for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Bangchak President and CEO Chaiwat Kovavisarach. “This collaboration between Bangchak Group and Thai Airways not only marks the first use of Thailand-produced HEFA-SPK SAF by Thai Airways but also demonstrates Thailand’s readiness to move toward a low-carbon aviation industry. This aligns with the direction of the global aviation sector and creates new business opportunities while supporting long-term greenhouse-gas emission reductions.”

Kovavisarach said that over the past few years, he has had opportunities to exchange views with executives from many countries through Bangchak Group’s membership of the World Economic Forum.

“While countries differ in their readiness and approaches, one message has been consistent—SAF can scale only when private-sector investment is supported by clear government direction and policy,” he said. “Producers need visibility on market demand, while users need confidence in availability, pricing and the conditions governing SAF use. Clear targets and timelines will enable all parties to make long-term plans in the same direction. For Thailand, establishing clear adoption targets and timelines would strengthen confidence among both producers and users while encouraging greater use of domestically produced SAF. Bangchak Group will continue working with partners in Thailand and internationally to develop the SAF ecosystem, promote the use of circular feedstocks and create greater value from Thailand’s biological resources, one of the country’s key strengths. These efforts will support GDP growth, create jobs and promote sustainability, strengthen energy security and expand business growth opportunities while delivering long-term reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.”

Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri added, “Driving sustainable growth in the aviation industry requires collaboration from all sectors across the entire supply chain, including energy producers, aviation service providers, regulatory authorities, airlines and all relevant partners. The use of sustainable aviation fuel produced in Thailand on this occasion demonstrates the country’s capability to jointly develop a strong energy and aviation ecosystem that is ready to support the aviation industry’s transition toward a sustainable future.”

The SAF was transported from the Bangchak refinery in Phra Khanong to Suvarnabhumi Airport via the pipeline system operated by Bangkok Fuel Pipeline and Logistics Company Ltd.

It was delivered to the aviation-fuel depot operated by Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services Public Company Ltd. at Suvarnabhumi Airport before entering the aircraft-refueling system under the same standards applied to conventional aviation fuel. READ MORE

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Used Cooking Oil Fuels Thailand’s Sustainable Aviation Shift (The Nation)

Excerpt from The Nation:

The shift comes as global airlines face growing pressure from energy security risks and climate commitments. Conflict in the Middle East has underlined how vulnerable aviation remains to fuel shocks, with jet fuel prices pushed sharply above pre-war levels and reserves in parts of Europe coming under pressure.

That volatility has strengthened interest in alternative fuels, particularly sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF. Produced from renewable resources, SAF can be made from several types of feedstock, but used cooking oil and animal fats have become among the most closely watched because fat molecules store high levels of energy and can be reprocessed into high-quality diesel and kerosene suitable for commercial aircraft.

For aviation, SAF is not simply a cleaner fuel. It is also a way to reuse carbon already circulating in the atmosphere, rather than extracting new fossil carbon from underground.

Depending on feedstock and production method, SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional fossil jet fuel, while helping cut waste oil and fat that would otherwise end up in landfill or contaminate soil.

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Thailand prepares its aviation sector for SAF

Thailand’s aviation sector has begun laying the groundwork for wider SAF adoption, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) signing a memorandum of understanding with eight Thai airlines on 17 November 2025.

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The initial target is for SAF to account for 0.5–1% of total fuel use on international routes from 2026, with the target to be reviewed and potentially raised in later phases.

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That reduction would also ease pressure on airlines to purchase CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units, or CEEUs, under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, the global emissions framework led by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

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GC turns waste oil into high-value fuel

PTT Global Chemical, or GC, has positioned itself as Thailand’s pioneer in commercial SAF production through a biorefinery model based on co-processing technology.

Rather than building an entirely new facility, GC has upgraded and adapted existing refinery infrastructure to convert used cooking oil into cleaner fuel and bio-based feedstock. The approach allows the company to cut investment costs and shorten development time while building a lower-carbon business line.

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GC’s biorefinery is not limited to aviation fuel. It can also produce more than 10 types of high-value biochemical and bioplastic products, including Bio-Propylene for toys and automotive parts, Bio-Butadiene for tyres, and Bio-PTA for PET plastic. These materials offer performance comparable to fossil-based products, but with a significantly lower carbon footprint.

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Bangchak adds a stand-alone SAF route

Following GC’s co-processing route, Bangchak Group has begun commercial SAF production from Thailand’s first stand-alone HEFA-SPK SAF unit at the Bangchak refinery in Phra Khanong, Bangkok.

HEFA-SPK stands for Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene. It is a form of SAF made from renewable feedstock such as used cooking oil and is among the key production pathways being used to support low-carbon aviation worldwide.

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Beyond the SAF production unit, Bangchak has been building a used cooking oil ecosystem that covers collection, feedstock management and processing into both SAF and renewable diesel, also known as hydrogenated vegetable oil, or HVO. READ MORE