The Airports of Thailand (AoT) is revising its master plan for Suvarnabhumi Airport to prioritize the construction and expansion of terminals due to increasing passenger traffic demands. According to AoT director Kirati Kijmanawat, the next 10-year phase of the plan will focus on accelerating the development of the main terminal and new terminals to keep up with the rapid growth in air travel.
The revised master plan will involve investments in three key projects: western expansion, construction of the southern terminal, and the Satellite 2 building. The decision on which project to launch first is pending, with design work expected to take up to a year before construction commences in 2026.
Notably, the eastern expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s main terminal is progressing, aiming to increase the airport’s overall capacity by 15 million passengers. This expansion project, costing 10 billion baht, includes additional office and car park buildings, along with a walkway platform connecting the main terminal.
Looking ahead, the southern terminal project will also be essential to meet the rising air travel demands. Mr. Kirati mentioned that construction is projected to take around four years, pending government approval.
Meanwhile, developments are also underway at Don Mueang Airport, the country’s second-largest hub. Plans include building a new international terminal where the current domestic terminal is located, merging the existing international terminals into a domestic terminal.
With operations across six major airports, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai, AoT expects total passenger traffic to reach 140 million this year, approaching pre-pandemic levels.
