BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport occasionally referred to as Bangkok Airport, is one of the biggest international airports serving the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. The other is Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), which is still a hub for low-cost airlines. With a total area of 3,240 ha, Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the biggest international airports in Southeast Asia and a central regional aviation hub (32.4 km2; 8,000 acres).
According to a senior Airports of Thailand (AOT) official, concerned authorities are now prepared to conduct the second phase of development to enlarge the airport due to rapid increases in the number of travellers and airlines utilizing the airport in the Thai capital Suvarnabhumi. Despite having a 45 million passenger capacity, Somchai Sawasdipol, an AOT official, reported that in 2007, more than 42 million travellers used the airport’s services. According to Mr Somchai, the airport needs to be expanded to meet the growing needs of travellers and airlines. AOT will hasten the reduction of airport noise pollution and help with phase 2 development planning.
Before construction starts, a public hearing will be held to address noise pollution from nearby residents of Bangkok International Airport. Designs for the taxiway for phase 2 are now being produced.
In the next ten years, Thailand may rank as the ninth-largest travel hub in the world, hosting 200 million visitors each year, according to a prediction by the International Air Transport Association. The east side of the primary passenger terminal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is being extended in anticipation of the projected post-pandemic upsurge. The government has approved an initial budget of ฿7.8 billion Thai Baht for the East Expansion project, with construction set to begin in November and service in March 2025.
To promote the post-Covid-19 recovery of air travel demand, a panel tasked with improving BKK Suvarnabhumi
airport has approved a significant development program worth around 60 billion baht. According to the committee’s vice-chairman and transport minister Saksayam Chidchob, the development project entails the construction of three new terminals, with a tentative completion date proposed for 2024. The East, West and North Expansion terminals will add another 60 million passengers annually to the airport’s capacity.
The popularity of the airport has meant it has already surpassed its annual capacity of 45 million passengers (before the Covid-19 outbreak) and this has created overcrowding of the airport facilities. Air traffic has drastically decreased as a result of COVID-19. To ensure that the airport can handle when demand for air travel picks up after the epidemic, Mr Saksayam said the group has agreed to move forward with the upgrading project. The concept will be given to the Airports of Thailand board in its final form before the government approves it in early 2023. The next step, which can start between April and July of next year, is to find extension contractors. It’s planned that construction will begin in August 2023.
The meeting earlier this week to increase the airport’s capacity was chaired by Anutin Charnvirnvirnkul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health. Members from numerous organizations were present, including Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. The new passenger terminal at Bangkok’s BKK Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be operational by April 2023, according to information released last month by Airports of Thailand. Since the Thailand Pass, which had previously made entry into Thailand more difficult, was eliminated, the number of aircraft and passengers at Bangkok’s BKK Suvarnabhumi International Airport has increased by an average of 10% per month.