Kerati Kijmanawat, President of AoT, stated that Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has instructed airports under AoT’s management to ready themselves for the influx of Chinese tourists arriving in Thailand and Thai travelers heading to China before the visa-free scheme implementation, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
Mr Kerati mentioned that the government anticipates around 8mn Chinese tourists visiting the country after the visa-free scheme is enacted. In 2019, approximately 11mn Chinese tourists traveled to Thailand.
AoT oversees six airports in the country: Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok, plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports in the provinces.
Phuket International Airport, ranking third in passenger traffic, follows Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
According to AoT’s statistics, Phuket airport saw over 6.83mn international passengers and 5.68mn domestic passengers from January to November 2023 (including arrivals and departures). The forecast for the entire year predicts passenger traffic to reach 15mn.
The expansion plan for Phuket International Airport is currently in the design phase, with an estimated cost of at least B6 billion.
The plan includes doubling the passenger handling capacity of the international terminal building to 12mn per year. This addition will contribute to the domestic terminal’s capacity, raising the airport’s overall maximum capacity to 18mn passengers per year.
Mr Kerati declared the expansion an emergency in September 2023 as passenger numbers increased post-pandemic. The design and development phase is expected to take at least a year, with full operational capacity anticipated in 2027.