Suvarnabhumi gears up for more expansion

To boost airport capacity to 90 million passengers a year, new terminal for 54.6 billion baht & runway for 20 billion baht to be built.

AIRPORTS & TRANSPORTATION

Suvarnabhumi gears up for more expansion

Scheme includes new terminal, runway
31/10/2016
Amornrat Mahitthirook

The upgrade of Suvarnabhumi Airport under its third phase of development is slated to start next year with a call for bidding.

The aim is to relieve the overcrowding of passengers with a new passenger terminal and runway.

The third phase of Suvarnabhumi expansion will follow phase two of the airport's expansion in which projects are currently being auctioned.

Authorities are racing against time to cope with the soaring number of air travellers.

NEW TERMINAL & RUNWAY TO BOOST AIRPORT CAPACITY 

Under phase three, the construction of a new terminal will increase the airport's capacity to serve 90 million passengers a year.

The currently single terminal airport, which has been open for more than a decade, was originally designed for 45 million people.

With the growing number of passengers, the AoT decided to carry out phase two of the expansion which aimed to accommodate 60 million people.

However, this capacity soon proved to not be enough.

Phase three of the project will cost 54.6 billion baht and the largest portion of money, totaling 34.6 billion baht, will be spent on the new terminal.

Another important part of the plan's third phase is the construction of a new runway, which would cost about 20 billion baht, AoT president Mr. Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said.

SECOND PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY

At present, the AoT is expediting the bidding for all projects in the second phase of development, which requires an 50.3-billion-baht investment.

New facilities in this phase includes the expansion of the eastern side of the original terminal and the car park building as well as the construction of an "aerobridge" link to the airport's southern part.

The agency is also preparing to call bidding to install an Automatic People Mover at the airport, with an estimated of cost of 2.8 billion baht would carry passengers between the old and new terminals.

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY INSPECTIONS

In another development, the AoT is ready for a new round of checks by the International Civil Aviation Organisation which will next year start the Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) at airports worldwide.

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS & TERMS OF REFERENCE BEING PREPARED

Currently, authorities are working on two things to pave the way for phase three of the Suvarnabhumi development project.

They are preparing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) reports, required by law, as well as drafting the terms of reference to hire designers for the new facilities.

The latter is expected to be completed first, allowing the AoT to start the bidding within one and two months of its completion, Mr Nitinai said.

All in all, he said, the AoT should be ready to call bids in the fourth quarter of next year or no later than the first quarter of the following year.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1123137/suvarnabhumi-gears-up-for-more-expansion

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