Terminal confusion: Trang Airport’s billion-baht project still up in the air

Residents demanded clarification after the new 1.2 billion baht passenger terminal at Trang International Airport in southern Thailand missed its opening deadline and remains unfinished and in disrepair.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) received a complaint from locals in the southern province of Trang, stating that the unfinished airport caused them to lose potential opportunities from the tourism industry.

Many locals are also concerned that the project will be abandoned and that the budget will be wasted, as with other projects in the province.

In response, the NACC has asked the Department of Airports to clarify the issues that obstructed construction to the residents.

Acting on the complaint, an official from the Trang Provincial NACC Office, Yuttana Wimonmueang, visited the airport yesterday, August 14, along with relevant officials from the Department of Airports.

Yuttana revealed that a budget of 4.66 billion baht was approved for the entire construction project at Trang Airport, with 1.2 billion baht allocated for the unfinished terminal. The terminal was supposed to be completed by April 22 of this year, but it was left incomplete and damaged without maintenance for over four months.

Yuttana also reported the damages he observed during the investigation to the media, including water leaks from the ceiling, collapsed ceilings, dead plants, a broken water pipe system, and malfunctioning electronic devices such as security cameras, lights, and speakers.

Kornchakot Prasawang, a specialist architect from the Department of Airports, told Channel 3 that the terminal is 98.3% complete. However, the construction contractor has been unable to finish the project due to the company’s lack of liquidity.

As a result of the construction delays, the contractor has been fined 1 million baht per day, with the total fines now exceeding 100 million baht.

Kornchakot mentioned that the department will hold a meeting with the contractor on April 19 to discuss solutions for the unfinished project.

Jirapha Hinmala, Director of Trang Airport, stated that it is currently impossible to set a completion or opening date. She assured that the new terminal will be opened as soon as possible, with more details expected to be announced after the April 19 meeting.