Transport minister says Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion will begin in July

Plans to expand Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport will kick off in July, according to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. The so-called East Expansion project is expected to take around 2 and a half years to complete, at a cost of 7.8 billion baht. The project will begin in July with a bidding process to appoint a contractor.

The plans have already been approved by Cabinet, Airports of Thailand (who manage the airport), and a government committee on capacity enhancement at Suvarnabhumi, according to a Bangkok Post report. Once complete and opened in March 2025, the newly expanded area will mean Suvarnabhumi can handle up to 65 million passengers a year. Current capacity is at 45 million. Saksayam says the 44% increase corresponds with predictions for passenger numbers in 2025.

Meanwhile, duty-free giant King Power has set aside an area for the expansion project on the second floor of Suvarnabhumi’s Food Stop. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, Kerati Kijmanawat from AoT says the project is expected to use up 66,000 square metres of space, housing 108 additional check-in desks, 6 baggage conveyors, and 9 security checkpoints.

Saksayam says the International Civil Aviation Organisation has provided advice on the airport’s expansion after studying the project. The minister says the ICAO’s findings will be studied, along with those submitted by the International Air Transport Association, with an emphasis on future expansion on the western and northern sides of Suvarnabhumi.

The Bangkok Post reports that IATA predicts that by 2024, Suvarnabhumi will be handling 65 million passengers a year, similar figures to those recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic. Saksayam says IATA has recommended that the airport expand in order to improve capacity for managing the expected growth in numbers.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post