Thailand's Airports of Thailand (AOT) Public Company Limited is investing $4.8 billion in significant expansions at major airports Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. This move is to prepare for a predicted increase in tourism as the global Coronavirus pandemic subsides.

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province will experience vast growth with the addition of two runways and a terminal, plus extending the existing terminal. This will increase its capacity to handle 135 million passengers annually, from the current 60 million. The estimated cost of this project is $3.7 billion.

 

Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, used mainly by regional and budget airlines, will also undergo development, including a new terminal and building renovations. This expansion, projected to cost about $1.1 billion, will lift the airport capacity from 30 million to 50 million passengers per year by 2030.

 

AOT will mainly use its revenue for these projects, and seek bank loans only if required. The company displays future fiscal health, expected to more than double its net income to over $600 million in the financial year ending late September.

Additionally, AOT is considering bidding on the construction of two more proposed airports, each costing about $2 billion. These airports are planned for tourist areas Chiang Mai and the Andamans, near resort island Phuket.

 

AOT's expansion strategy is part of the Thai Prime Minister's plan to enhance tourism, contributing 12% of the country's GDP. However, AOT faces competition from regional airports such as Singapore's Changi. AOT has therefore implemented operational improvements at its airports, such as reducing check-in waiting times and installing automated immigration gates.

 

AOT aims to welcome between 35 to 40 million foreign tourists this year, nearly matching the pre-pandemic annual record of 40 million visitors. The government's tourism goals include 80 million tourists by 2027 and promotion of event-based tourism for higher revenue.

 

File photo for reference only. Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

-- 2024-05-01

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

1 hour ago, webfact said:

This move is to prepare for a predicted increase in tourism as the global Coronavirus pandemic subsides.

And yet, Thai health authorities reports of 10,000 new Covid cases everyday,

 

Just wondering though,  where would Thailand be without tourism revenues? probably not better than

it's neighbours, a third world country...  

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's Airports of Thailand (AOT) Public Company Limited is investing $4.8 billion in significant expansions at major airports Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. This move is to prepare for a predicted increase in tourism as the global Coronavirus pandemic subsides.

Last week too many tourists were destroying Thailand?

The government's tourism goals include 80 million tourists by 2027. 

 

Wow. At 40 million over crowding, misbehavior of low end tourists, and a myriad of other problems are seemingly beyond control. Double that? Yikes. The quality of life would diminish for everyone. 

 

And how do you expand an airport like Swampy? It is already enormous. The walk to and from the gates feels like 2 km. or longer. 

 

Quantity over quality. A hallmark of an inept administration without any vision. PM Srettha in a nutshell. 

But it was Anutin's family enterprise which got - co-incidentially of course - awarded the expansion of Swampy during/after Covid already.

Do airports wear off that fast, I mean, we're talking three, four years here? 

We don't have enough tourists. 

We have too many tourists. 

We don't have enough tourists. 

We have too many tourists. 

 

...and on and on, ad infinitum and ad nauseam

 

What about the new "S" terminal at Suvarnabhumi? Hasn't that done the trick

As per usual,  politicians and senior officials are like the weather.... Full of hot air. 

 

They are very similar to artillery soldiers... Gunners

 

They're gunna do this and they're gunna do that.  Whereas they do fak all.  Actions speak louder than their piss weak grandstanding. 

I was hoping to read that Buriram airport ( currently undergoing large reconstruction ) will become an international airport . Also most provincial flights seem to go to Bangkok where you have to change planes for your destination . If the carbon footprint mattered in Thailand , it could easily be reduced dramatically by flying direct provincial flights .

15 hours ago, ezzra said:

And yet, Thai health authorities reports of 10,000 new Covid cases everyday,

 

and yet 3x as many died during 4 days of songkran than in a month of covid. covid deaths are minimal now. 

16 hours ago, webfact said:

as the global Coronavirus pandemic subsides.

 

ahhh it subsided a long time ago. 

Perhaps it could be made into the much vaunted BKK F1 circuit !

How much more BOOST do they need? 

 

They already have over 40 million tourists a year ?!

18 hours ago, webfact said:

The government's tourism goals include 80 million tourists by 2027 and promotion of event-based tourism for higher revenue.

 

 

 

Is that 80 million a year or 80 million with 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 ?

 

If they are aiming for 80 million a YEAR that would be a disgrace. They can barely cope at the moment with 40 million a year. 

 

EDIT - just seen they are actually aiming for 80 million tourists a year !!!!!!!! WOW. That is nuts 

I hope it wasn't a fluke, but my April trip to BKK, there was no queue at immigration on arrival, or departure.  Just walked up to waiting agents. 

 

Since it was my 13th straight monthly exempt entry (at least I think that was the reason for asking), the agent stamping me in asked how long I'd be staying this time.  I told her 4 days and got a smile and a stamp.

 

Even departure security was quick, with no queue to speak of.

 

Fingers crossed I didn't just jinx my May visit.

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The government's tourism goals include 80 million tourists by 2027 and promotion of event-based tourism for higher revenue.

if they ever reach that lofty and outrageous goal, the tourism sector will account for 90% of the GDP!! 

On 5/1/2024 at 3:35 PM, nglodnig said:

What about the new "S" terminal at Suvarnabhumi? Hasn't that done the trick

Concourse, not terminal.