AOT to continue building two new airports to handle more passengers

Airports of Thailand (AOT) will continue to expand the capacity of its existing airports and build two new airports, with an estimated investment of Bt150 billion, to cope with the increasing number of domestic and international passengers.

Speaking at a seminar called “Section II: Next Step” on Wednesday, AOT chief executive officer Kirati Kitmanawat said that the company plans to build the new Lanna and Andaman airports, which are estimated to cost Bt70 billion and Bt80 billion respectively. They will be capable of accommodating 40 million passengers annually.

The two projects are undergoing feasibility studies and the land expropriation process is expected to begin in the middle of next year.

Kirati said Suvarnabhumi airport will handle 60 million passengers this year, down from 65 million before the COVID-19 pandemic.

He predicted, however, that the number of passengers will…