AOT earmarks nearly THB16 billion to upgrade Chiang Mai airport, double its capacity
Airports of Thailand (AOT) is speeding up the upgradation of Chiang Mai Airport with a budget of 15.8 billion baht for the first phase.
Kerati Kijmanawat, AOT’s senior executive vice president of engineering and construction, said that AOT has found the number of passengers in the passenger terminal is exceeding its capacity so it had decided to develop the airport.
He said that the project would be studied and designed with a budget of 280 million baht for the consulting firm.
AOT is expected to hire the consulting firm in October and work will start in April 2023. He expected it to be finished by March 2024.
AOT is also undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment, which is expected to finish in February 2023.
He said the project is being reviewed by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council and would be sent to the Cabinet for approval within October 2023.
Kerati said that the bidding and construction process will start in 2024 and the renovated airport will open in 2026.
He said the number of domestic passengers in 2019 was 8.1 million per year, far exceeding the 6 million capacity.
The number of international passengers in 2019 was 3.2 million per year, far exceeding the 2 million capacity.
After the first phase is finished, he expected that the airport would be able to welcome 16.5 million passengers per year, double the previous capacity of 8 million passengers per year.
Meanwhile, the second phase of the project is undergoing preliminary feasibility study to improve the passenger terminal, expand the airport apron, and expand the internal road system.
After the second phase of the project is finished, the airport will be able to receive 12 million domestic passengers and 8 million international passengers per year.
