Construction of two new Thai airports to start in 2027

Feasibility studies for two new international airports in Thailand – Andaman Airport in the South and Lanna Airport in the North – should be complete this year with construction set to start by 2027, according to Airports of Thailand (AOT). The new airports will be capable of handling 40m passengers annually. The two feasibility studies cover investment potential, economic gains, financial returns, and environmental impact, AOT CEO Kirati Kitmanawat said on Wednesday. Development of Andaman International Airport in Phang Nga province will cost around 75b baht with potential investment by airlines and private investors, he said. The AOT has earmarked a 6,500-rai (1,040 hectares) plot in Khok Kloi district for the project. About 40% of the plot is already owned by the government, which will save around 2.5b baht in expropriation costs. The AOT will rent the rest of the plot from the Treasury Department, which will be responsible for expropriating the land for the start of construction in 2027, Kirati added. Construction will take around four and a half years, with the airport expected to open in 2032.<br/>