AOT planning airport expansion
Airports of Thailand (AOT) expects to propose a Bt9.5-billion expansion plan for Suvarnabhumi Airport to the administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra before the end of this year with the goal of solving the problem of passenger congestion over
AOT also reiterates its promise to make Suvarnabhumi one of the world's 10 best airports as credited by Airports Council International within the same three-year period.
Under this plan, the company will budget Bt9.3 million for construction of a domestic terminal near the main terminal's concourses A and B, currently used for domestic services for about 10 million passengers a year. The new facility will extend the main terminal's annual capacity to 65 million passengers, from 45 million currently.
The plan also earmarks Bt100 million for renovation of 4,500 square metres on the fifth-floor departure hall to accommodate weapon checkpoints as well as improve passport-control zones. The remaining Bt100 million will be allocated for building new rental spaces for airline offices in the main terminal.
Niranda Theeranartsin, senior vice president for regional airports and acting president of AOT, said yesterday that the company was studying the feasibility of this expansion plan and hoped to submit it to the government by December.
Construction and renovation will start immediately after receiving the green light from the government and are expected to be completed in three years.
Niranda said AOT expected to mark the fifth anniversary of Suvarnabhumi Airport by welcoming at least 46 million passengers this year, though this exceeded its maximum capacity.
As well, this capacity problem will continue in the future, as the number of tourist arrivals is growing.
