New customs centre at Suvarnabhumi aims to boost Thai logistics

Airports of Thailand Ground Aviation Services (AOTGA) has inaugurated a new Customs Service Centre at Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s Free Zone 3, designed to boost Thailand’s logistics industry. Covering over 4,872 square metres and costing 150 million baht, this centre aims to streamline various transport and warehousing services.

Sirivat Towachirakul, General Manager of AOTGA, announced the launch, highlighting its strategic importance in transforming Thailand into a regional logistics hub. He emphasised that the new centre integrates multiple transportation modes—land, rail, sea, and air—along with container consolidation and storage services, all under one roof. This will facilitate customs procedures, creating new business opportunities and supporting the growth of e-commerce.

The centre is divided into two main service areas: the Fixed Area, and the Public Area. The Fixed Area is dedicated to private transport operators, including global giants like FedEx, DHL, and AGS. These companies will collaborate at the centre to provide streamlined customs services.

In contrast, the Public Area will be managed by AOTGA, targeting domestic and international freight forwarders and express consignment operators.

There’s a particular focus on air cargo, which has seen significant growth, leveraging Thailand’s strategic position as a hub for the CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) and its extensive aviation network connecting to Europe and other continents.

AOTGA has introduced advanced innovations at the new centre, such as an E-lock System for tracking customs movements and an E-inventory system for inventory control.

The company aims to generate 80 million baht in revenue for the fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), handling between 40,000 and 50,000 tonnes of cargo.

Sirivat also provided an overview of AOTGA’s performance for the fiscal year 2023, reporting a total revenue of 2,700 million baht and a profit exceeding 500 million baht.

The company offers comprehensive ground services and cleaning at six airports: Don Mueang, Phuket, Suvarnabhumi (partially), Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, and Mae Fah Luang in Chiang Rai.

Looking ahead, AOTGA expects to increase its revenue to 3,000 million baht in 2024 and to 3,800 to 3,900 million baht in 2025. The company plans to bid for additional ground services and warehousing contracts at Suvarnabhumi Airport. If successful, Sirivat anticipates investing over 1,000 million baht in new equipment and technology, potentially doubling its revenue, reported KhaoSod.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone that will revolutionise Thailand’s logistics industry like never before, aligning with the government’s policy to elevate Thailand as the true logistics centre of the region.”