AOT pushes Suvarnabhumi expansion worth 210bn baht
Airports of Thailand is advancing a 210bn-baht Suvarnabhumi build-out: a phased South Terminal and a 12bn-baht East Expansion awaiting cabinet approval
Paweena Jariyathitipong, president of Airports of Thailand (AOT), said the company is moving forward with a major expansion programme at Suvarnabhumi Airport, comprising the South Terminal and an East Expansion, with total investment of more than 210 billion baht.
On the South Terminal project, she said AOT has revised the airport’s master plan entirely to address past inefficiencies in investment planning. Instead of a single investment of more than 200 billion baht, AOT has restructured the plan into three phases to better align with passenger volumes and reduce interest burdens.
Phase 1 will focus on ground improvement, as the airport site was originally a swamp area with land subsidence. This phase will prepare the foundational infrastructure, including elements such as planning for road links (Bang Na–Trat), ground improvement works and building design. It is expected to take around two and a half years, before moving on to construction of connecting roads and utilities.
Phase 2 will involve construction of the first half of the South Terminal, adding capacity for 30 million passengers per year. Combined with existing capacity, Suvarnabhumi would be able to handle up to 100 million passengers per year within five years.
Phase 3 will complete the remaining South Terminal works and build a fourth runway, lifting long-term capacity to 120 million passengers per year over 10–12 years.
Paweena said the phased approach not only reduces financial pressure but also increases operational flexibility, particularly by allowing the main terminal — in use for more than 25 years — to undergo renovations without undermining overall passenger-handling capacity.
Separately, she said AOT is accelerating the East Expansion project at Suvarnabhumi, with total investment of around 12 billion baht. The project is currently awaiting an opinion from the Ministry of Finance before being submitted to the cabinet. She said it may still be possible under the caretaker government, as the change remains within the original 2016 budget framework.
If the cabinet approves the plan, AOT will proceed to draft tender documents (TOR) and expects to open bidding within 1–2 months. Construction would take four years, increasing Suvarnabhumi’s capacity to 70 million passengers per year, up from the current 65 million.
