Thailand to Double Greater Bangkok Airport Capacity

• 28 November 2018
• Local News
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Thailand has announced plans to more than double the passenger capacity of airports in the greater Bangkok area in an effort to compete with Singapore as the regional aviation hub.

The government’s ambitious plan includes utilising tiny U-Tapao airport, a former military air base 100km southeast of Bangkok. Currently handling 300,000 passengers a year, mostly to Pattaya, the Thai administration intends to transform U-Tapao into a major hub managing 60 million people a year.

The 20-year plan also features doubling the capacity of Suvarnabhumi airport, from 45 million people to 90 million, and increasing Don Mueang airport from 30 million to 40 million.

If successful, greater Bangkok area’s handling capacity would rise from 75.3 million people a year now to 190 million people.

The increased aviation capacity will be complemented by a US$7bn, 22km high-speed railway, which is due to be awarded on a public–private partnership basis in November.

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