Photo Credit: ASEAN Urbanist
During Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s four-month tenure, the government has granted the Transport Ministry full budget authority to accelerate infrastructure investments, with a particular focus on the expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport. This initiative aims to boost economic growth and generate employment by fast-tracking key projects.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has directed all agencies under the ministry to expedite disbursement of funds and prioritize ready-to-implement projects to maximise their economic impact.
The Airports of Thailand (AOT), a state enterprise overseen by the Transport Ministry, has affirmed its commitment to advancing significant investments over the coming four months, especially the expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand’s primary international hub.
Paweena Jariyathitipong, Acting President of AOT, announced that the agency will fast-track the East Expansion Project, valued at 12 billion baht. This expansion will add 81,000 square meters of passenger space and increase annual capacity by 15 million passengers. The project is currently awaiting Cabinet approval, expected by the end of the year. Upon approval, bidding processes will commence immediately, with construction set to begin in 2026 and conclude by 2030. Once completed, the airport’s capacity will increase from 65 million to between 70 and 80 million passengers annually.
In addition, AOT plans to move forward with the South Terminal development, replacing the initial SAT-2 project with a larger, more integrated terminal design to enhance passenger convenience. The new terminal will cover 1.59 million square meters, capable of handling 120 million passengers per year, supporting 120 flights per hour, and featuring 160 contact gates.
These projects highlight the Transport Ministry’s strategy to rapidly accelerate infrastructure development during the four-month budget window of the Anutin administration, aiming to stimulate economic activity in the short term while strengthening Thailand’s aviation sector for the long term.