Plans to expand Chiang Mai airport have been approved by the Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) board.
The expansion, which will cost 12 billion baht and will take 15 years to complete, will significantly increase the airport’s capacity.
Once completed, Chiang Mai airport will be able to serve 20 million passengers annually, a big increase from its current capacity of 12 million passengers, AOT’s chairman Prasong Poontaneat explained on Wednesday.
The 20 million passenger capacity should be sufficient until 2030, he said.
The project will be completed in two phases.
The first phase, which will be completed by 2025, is the largest part of the project costing 11 billion baht.
This will include the expansion of runways, taxiways, airport terminals, a new fire station and water treatment works.
Once completed, 34 flights per hour will be able to land at the airport, which will then be able to handle 18 million passengers annually.
The second phase of the expansion, which will take place between 2026 and 2030, will see the airport raise its capacity to 20 million passengers, consisting of 8 million international arrivals and 12 million passengers from domestic flights.
Mr Prasong revealed that passenger traffic at Chiang Mai airport is increasing and that the airport serve 8.3 million people in 2015.
Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/920145-12-billion-baht-expansion-of-chiang-mai-airport-approved/ & http://www.tnamcot.com/content/475915
