EIA nearly complete for Suvarnabhumi Phase 2
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT tendering for the second phase of the Suvarnabhumi Airport development could begin in the second half of this year as the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project is expected to be finalised before the end of this month.
Airports of Thailand (AOT) is currently working on three big developments under the project: the expansion of the airport, a third runway, and a second passenger terminal.
AOT told the Cabinet yesterday that the initial budget for the project, which was set at Bt62 billion, could be about Bt5 billion to Bt6 billion lower. The new estimate will be presented to the Cabinet shortly.
“Suvarnabhumi Phase 2 is currently under EIA study, and the expert committee is expected to present its findings to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning by the end of June. If approved, the tendering process could begin right away,” Deputy Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said after the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The third runway will be 2.9 kilometres long.
The second passenger terminal is needed as the completion of Phase 2 by 2019 will mean that the airport will have to handle around 60 million visitors a year, up from the current capacity of only 40 million, Sansern explained.
Change to SRT plan
Meanwhile, the Cabinet yesterday approved a change in the State Railway of Thailand’s plan for its double-track southern rail route from Surat Thani via Hat Yai. The terminus now will be Songkhla rather than Padang Besar, Malaysia. The original SRT route was similar to another one being developed by the Transport Ministry in the same area. The budget for this SRT project in 2015 will remain Bt65.8 billion despite the change, but the distance will be 15km shorter. Next year’s budget for the project is Bt268 billion.
