Thailand’s largest airport to receive $1.3-billion expansion
Thailand’s main gateway to the world, Suvarnabhumi Airport, will enter its next phase of expansion to cope with ever-swelling traveler numbers. The operator, state-owned Airports of Thailand, said on June 20 that it has approved an investment budget of 42.1 billion baht, or around $1.28 billion.
The airport, opened in 2006, is expected to receive 65 million passengers this year and 68 million in 2019, significantly more than its current capacity of 45 million. The investment, which still needs Cabinet approval, will be used for a second terminal for domestic flights which should be able to accommodate up to 30 million additional passengers per year.
According to Airports of Thailand chairman Prasong Poontaneat, the size of the new terminal would be about 348,000 square meters. A train service will be built to connect the second terminal with both the main terminal and the Airport Rail Link station. Suvarnabhumi’s main passenger terminal, the fourth-largest in the world, stretches over 563,000 square meters.
The new passenger terminal will be used only by Bangkok Airways and flag carrier Thai Airways and the latter’s budget subsidiary Thai Smile. Other Star Alliance members will be given a check-in concourse of Thai Airways.
This phase of Suvarnabhumi’s expansion is expected to begin next year and finish in 2021. After that, further expansion will include the construction of one additional runway to bring the total number of runways to four, as well as subsequent enlargement of both the domestic and international terminals and improvements to plane parking bays, car parks and other airport infrastructure.
Don Mueang International Airport, the second gateway serving the capital, completed renovation of its second terminal in December 2015. Airports of Thailand has a four-year expansion plan for the airport set to begin in 2020 with a budget of 35 billion baht ($1.07 billion).
Current plans call for increasing the combined capacity of both airports to 90 million by next year and 120 million in 2021.
Thailand’s main gateway to the world, Suvarnabhumi Airport, will enter its next phase of expansion to cope with ever-swelling traveler numbers. The operator, state-owned Airports of Thailand, said on June 20 that it has approved an investment budget of 42.1 billion baht, or around $1.28 billion. The airport, opened in 2006, is expected to receive 65 million passengers this year and 68 million in 2019, significantly more than its current capacity of 45 million. The investment, which still needs Cabinet approval, will be used for a second terminal for domestic flights which should be able to accommodate up to 30...
Thailand’s main gateway to the world, Suvarnabhumi Airport, will enter its next phase of expansion to cope with ever-swelling traveler numbers. The operator, state-owned Airports of Thailand, said on June 20 that it has approved an investment budget of 42.1 billion baht, or around $1.28 billion.
The airport, opened in 2006, is expected to receive 65 million passengers this year and 68 million in 2019, significantly more than its current capacity of 45 million. The investment, which still needs Cabinet approval, will be used for a second terminal for domestic flights which should be able to accommodate up to 30 million additional passengers per year.
According to Airports of Thailand chairman Prasong Poontaneat, the size of the new terminal would be about 348,000 square meters. A train service will be built to connect the second terminal with both the main terminal and the Airport Rail Link station. Suvarnabhumi’s main passenger terminal, the fourth-largest in the world, stretches over 563,000 square meters.
The new passenger terminal will be used only by Bangkok Airways and flag carrier Thai Airways and the latter’s budget subsidiary Thai Smile. Other Star Alliance members will be given a check-in concourse of Thai Airways.
This phase of Suvarnabhumi’s expansion is expected to begin next year and finish in 2021. After that, further expansion will include the construction of one additional runway to bring the total number of runways to four, as well as subsequent enlargement of both the domestic and international terminals and improvements to plane parking bays, car parks and other airport infrastructure.
Don Mueang International Airport, the second gateway serving the capital, completed renovation of its second terminal in December 2015. Airports of Thailand has a four-year expansion plan for the airport set to begin in 2020 with a budget of 35 billion baht ($1.07 billion).
Current plans call for increasing the combined capacity of both airports to 90 million by next year and 120 million in 2021.
