AirportsZone: Asia/Pacific

Thailand Department of Airports to revamp 29 airports to serve passenger demand

By December 5, 2022 No Comments

The Department of Airports (DoA) of Thailand has earmarked a comprehensive plan to modernise and enhance the capacity of about 29 airports across the country to cater to the increasing passenger traffic, reports The Bangkok Post. The DoA is planning to invest 4.5bn baht (approx. US$130 million) to modernise the airports.

As a part of the project, Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Krabi Airport have undergone expansion to accommodate eight million passengers annually, almost doubling the capacity. Also, the passenger capacity at Khon Kaen and Nakhon Si Thammarat airports is also doubled.

The DoA also plans to operate check-in counters with multiple airlines so to save passengers’ time.

Director General of Thailand Parinya Saengsuwan said: “It is estimated that in 2023 there will be more than 41 million passengers visiting airports under the DoA, an increase from the 29 million passengers during the pandemic. The number of commercial flights is consistently increasing and the department spent money to revamp air travel networks in Thailand.

The DoA is also building other airport infrastructures, including taxiways, runways, aprons, and terminals, at regional airports in Nan, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Satun, Mukdahan, and Bueng Kan provinces. The project is currently going through its Environmental Impact Assessment.

The DoA is also working on a Transport Ministry project to build a bridge connecting the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman coasts to boost the southern economy.

The DoA’s airport 2024–2027 development plan includes 3.6 billion baht that covers construction projects at Ranong, Chumphon, and Nakhon Si Thammarat airports, with 1.6 billion to be spent on a new terminal at Ranong airport so it can handle 1,000 passengers per hour.

The other 2 billion baht will go to Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat airports, where upgrade projects will take place to maximize capacity in airplane parking, boarding, and passenger disembarking.