Premier outlines aviation ambitions
The government aims to have Suvarnabhumi airport rank among the world’s 20 best airports within the next five years, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says.
This is part of the government’s “Ignite Thailand, Aviation Hub” campaign to make the kingdom a regional aviation hub, Mr Srettha, also the finance minister, said at Government House.
“Suvarnabhumi airport will become one of the world’s top 50 airports in one year and a top 20 airport within five years. I want to thank and offer support to everyone involved in fulfilling the goal of making Thailand an aviation hub,” he said.
Located in Samut Prakan, east of Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi airport ranked 68th in the Skytrax World Airport Awards last year and 77th in 2022.
The government also plans to increase the capacity of the airport to handle 150 million passengers annually. It currently handles about 60 million passengers per year, he said.
Suvarnabhumi’s third runway is also expected to be opened for service in October, enabling the airport to handle about 90 flights per hour, up from about 60 flights, the prime minister said.
“Six months from now, I hope we will not see long queues at Suvarnabhumi,” Mr Srettha said in response to passengers and tourists’ complaints about the long wait at the airport’s immigration control.
The government also plans to develop Don Mueang airport into a point-to-point airport system and to increase its capacity from 30 million to 50 million passengers per year, with the construction of a new terminal for international passengers and expansion of its facilities, the prime minister said.
He said the government also plans to upgrade existing airports in other smaller cities across the country, such as Nan and Si Sa Ket, as well as to build new ones, such as Andaman airport in Phangnga and Lanna airport in the northern province of Lamphun.
Airports of Thailand (AoT) said it is speeding up construction of the new Andaman International Airport, which is set to become a direct long-haul flight hub in the South.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said earlier that the new airport, which is in its second stage of development, will serve as an extension of Phuket airport.
The two airports are expected to handle as many as 18 million passengers per year, compared to the annual average of 12.5 million currently handled by Phuket airport, he said.
Once Andaman International Airport opens, it will be a hub for direct long-distance international flights while the original airport in Phuket will accommodate only domestic and short-haul international flights, he said.
AoT president Kerati Kijmanawat said that the AoT is ready to proceed with its East Expansion project, which involves the expansion of Suvarnabhumi’s passenger building. It will invest 9 billion baht in the project, with bidding to start in June, he said.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027, he said.
He added that bidding for the construction of Suvarnabhumi’s West Expansion project and Satellite Terminal 2 will start next year.
Mr Kerati said earlier that the AoT also aims to increase the flight capacity of Suvarnabhumi’s Satellite Terminal 1 from 50 flights per day to 120 flights per day within two months, then 400 flights per day by the end of the year.
He said the AoT will also invest 36 billion baht in the third phase of Don Mueang airport’s development.
The plan includes the construction of a new international terminal and the renovation of Passenger Building 1.
The expansion will increase the passenger capacity from 30 million to 50 million annually.
The bidding for the project will begin later this year.