Thailand Airports Raise Passenger Service Charge

5 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Airports of Thailand (AOT) has announced a hike in the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for departing passengers starting June 20, 2026. The increase aims to bolster airport services and enhance capacity, aligning with Thailand’s long-term goals. The PSC will rise from 730 baht to 1,120 baht at six AOT-operated airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai, Phuket, and Hat Yai. The domestic charge remains at 130 baht.

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AOT President Paweena Jariyathitipong defended the increase against opposition from Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia's parent company. Paweena contended that the additional revenue would benefit the country's competitiveness and address demands from primarily full-service airline passengers. She emphasized that the fee adjustment is in the public interest, warning that failure to implement it could negatively impact Thailand’s infrastructure capabilities compared to neighboring countries.

The increased charge will fund AOT's ambitious five-year infrastructure development plan, with investment expected to surpass 80 billion baht. Projects include:

• East Expansion at Suvarnabhumi Airport: Investment of around 12 billion baht with potential construction beginning late this year.

• Don Mueang Airport Development Phase 3: Total investment of 69 billion baht, with significant developments expected to start early next year.

• Phuket Airport Phase 2: A 10 billion baht investment to expand capacity.

AOT plans to introduce advanced systems like the Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) to improve efficiency. This move intends to optimize check-in processes and overall passenger experiences at Thai airports.

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Will that money really get used in the manner suggested? People are naturally skeptical considering the level of corruption and lack of transparency. Just saying.

My 1st trip here, in 2000, the departure fee was 500 Baht so it's not a significant increase over 26 years.

After the money gets syphoned off they will probably upgrade the toilets.