AOT Seeks Cabinet Approval for 269bn Baht Airport Expansion

Pictures courtesy of The Nation

Airports of Thailand (AOT) plans to seek approval from Thailand’s next cabinet for two major airport expansion projects worth a combined 269 billion baht, covering Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports. The proposals aim to significantly increase passenger capacity, improve connectivity and raise flight-handling efficiency at the country’s two main aviation hubs. If approved, the projects would reshape Thailand’s aviation infrastructure over the next decade.

AOT president Paweena Jariyathitipong said the company is preparing to submit the projects as urgent matters to the new cabinet. The proposals include Don Mueang Airport Phase 3, with a revised investment budget of 69 billion baht, and Suvarnabhumi Airport Phase 3, with an investment value of 200 billion baht. Together, the developments are designed to support long-term growth in passenger demand and airline operations.

The Don Mueang Phase 3 project was previously submitted for cabinet approval with a budget of 36 billion baht, but the design is now more than eight years old. Paweena said revisions are required to ensure the airport can operate as a true near-city airport, with better links to mass-transit systems such as the Red Line commuter rail. Under the revised plan, Don Mueang’s capacity would rise to 40–50 million passengers per year, reinforcing its role as a domestic aviation hub and an international hub for low-cost carriers.

For Suvarnabhumi, AOT is proposing an updated master plan that removes the SAT-2 concourse project. Instead, the space will be consolidated into a single South Terminal development, covering 400,000 square metres and built in three phases. The project also includes construction of a fourth runway, which would increase flight-handling capacity from 94 flights per hour to 120 flights per hour, while maintaining the use of the driverless APM system linking the main terminal with SAT-1.

Paweena said the phased approach is intended to reduce financial and interest burdens while allowing flexibility as passenger numbers grow. Phase 1 focuses on ground and soil improvement at the former Nong Ngu Hao swamp site and will take about two and a half years. Phase 2 would add capacity for 30 million passengers per year, lifting total capacity to 100 million within five years, while Phase 3 would raise long-term capacity to 120 million within 10–12 years.

The Nation reported that she added that the East Expansion terminal extension project at Suvarnabhumi, valued at 12 billion baht, could be submitted for approval by the caretaker cabinet without waiting for a new government.

Key Takeaways

• AOT is seeking cabinet approval for airport expansion projects worth 269 billion baht.

• Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi capacities would rise to up to 50 million and 120 million passengers a year.

• Suvarnabhumi’s expansion will be phased to reduce financial risk and match passenger growth.

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Nation 2026-02-11