The Airports of Thailand (AoT) board has given the green light to an extensive five-year expansion project at Suvarnabhumi Airport, scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2030. The approval, which was confirmed at last Thursday’s board meeting, includes a budget allocation of 170 million baht for hiring a consulting team to oversee the project.
Kirati Kijmanawat, an AoT director, announced on Sunday that the consulting team will be tasked with evaluating the feasibility of the project over an eight-month period. Following this, they will have a year to finalize the project’s design. The bidding process is anticipated to commence by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
The expansion will be divided into several phases: West Expansion, South Expansion, North Expansion, and the construction of a new cargo building. According to Mr. Kijmanawat, the government is particularly focused on the South Expansion, which has been allocated a budget of 120 billion baht and must be completed within the current government’s term.
Mr. Kijmanawat emphasized that the rapid growth of the air transport sector, following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, has prompted AoT to accelerate the expansion efforts. The land designated for the South Expansion is already equipped with essential utilities and is conveniently located near Bang Na-Trat Road.
He also assured that AoT will not require additional loans to finance the project, citing the company’s improved liquidity due to the recovery of the aviation industry. Mr. Kijmanawat expressed confidence that the expansion would not adversely affect the company’s financial stability, given that AoT plans to use its annual earnings to fund the project.
In addition to the Suvarnabhumi expansion, Mr. Kijmanawat provided an update on the Don Mueang Airport expansion. He noted that the design phase is currently underway and is expected to be completed by November.
