Envisioned by the strategic thinking of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Thailand is primed to ride a new wave of tourism prosperity through the addition of new airport infrastructure in Chiang Mai and Phuket. Elevating tourism revenue is not merely a political promise, it is central to the goals of Pheu Thai party, emphasized the premier amidst his promises of delivering palpable progress.
An unwavering belief underpins this priority – airports are vital catalysts in boosting the tourism appeal of provinces. Particularly, in regions that are globally recognized as sought-after travel corners, like Chiang Mai and Phuket. The blueprint involves both, creation of new avenues with new international airports and the enhancement of the existing ones, to bring about a sharp surge in the capacity of these provinces to host larger numbers of tourists.
Concrete steps are already underway. Chiang Mai International Airport has become the scene for engaging dialogues and discussions centered around a double-fold rise in its accommodation capacity of passengers from eight million to a mind-boggling figure of 16.5 million annually. The deputy director of the airport, Sarayut Jumpha, shared the grand vision that was conceptualized in 2018, pre-pandemic.
As per Mr. Sarayut, the ambitious plan has been structured in two phases spanning over 20 long years, with the primary goal of enabling a seamless growth trajectory of air traffic. An interesting facet of this plan is that it doesn’t involve construction of a new runway. The initial phase will predominantly be aimed at coping with the projected surge in the number of airport users through an array of initiatives.
The plan has essentially been categorized into three clusters. The first cluster focuses on airside development which includes increasing the number of aircraft parking bays from the current number of 19 to a grand total of 31. The second cluster will see enhancements and extensions in terminals and related structures. As shared by Mr. Sarayut, the south side of the airport is expected to witness the emergence of a new international terminal whereas the extant terminal will be dedicated to domestic flights. The final cluster will deal with infrastructural development through a new six-lane road, a power plant, and a water plant.
The TCMA Consultant Group has been entrusted with the responsibility of studying the potential environmental impacts of the project and in compiling the Environmental Impact Assessment report. This comprehensive study covering all facets of the project is expected to need an investment of 300 million baht spanning over two years. In the grand scheme of things, the construction of these projects will take approximately three years, with a budget of 10 billion baht. This may well be the heraldic start of Thailand’s ascension on the global tourism stage.
Be First to Comment