Public-Private Partnership Agreement of U-Tapao International Airport City Project & Eastern Airport City Project was signed on June 19 in Thailand between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO) and U-Tapao International Aviation Company Limited or the BBS Joint Venture, the winning bidder which offered the highest returns to the State.

BBS Joint Venture consists of Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited, BTS Group Holdings Public Company Limited, and Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Public Company Limited.

The Project is one of the vital infrastructure projects of Eastern Economic Corridor with an objective to uplift U-Tapao Airport to be “the 3rd International Commercial Airport of Bangkok” linking with Don Mueang International Airport and Suvarnabhumi International Airport through the High-speed train, making the 3 airports capable of handling a capacity of up to 200 million passengers annually.

The PPP project has an investment value of THB 290 billion (USD 9.39 billion).

The Project area is situated in Ban Chang District, Rayong Province, located within the Promoted Zone: Eastern Airport City (EECa), approximately 30 km from Pattaya, Chonburi and Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong.

The objective of the Project is to develop U-Tapao airport to be able to manage both passenger flights and air freight flights. The development project within U-Tapao Airport includes 2 runways of 3,500 meters long facilitating air takeoffs and landings and able to support all aircrafts models, 124 aircraft stands, Passenger Terminal Buildings of 450,000 square meters managing 60 annual million passengers with high-tech facilities such as self-check-in and self bag drop system, Automated People Mover (APM). 

Other facilities include Cargo Village and Free Trade Zone of 470,000 square meters with a capacity of 3 million tons per year, Ground Transportation Center (GTC) with an area of 30,000 square meters seamlessly connecting to the Passenger Terminal Building through the high-speed train, buses, and taxis, and other supporting facilities of 1,400 Rai including Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO), Aviation Training Center, electricity power plant, tap water production plant, wastewater treatment plant, and aviation fuel services.

Moreover, the project also has the Commercial Gateway of 400,000 square meters which includes duty-free area, shopping arcade, restaurants, hotels as well as Business Park and Airport City covering 1 million square meters which will include shopping centers, exhibition centers, and office buildings.

The winning team has divided the development plan into phases: Phase 1 includes Passenger Terminal Building of 157,000 square meters, commercial area, parking facilities, Ground Transportation Center, and 60 aircraft stands, which is expected to be completed in 2024, able to manage a capacity of 15.9 million annual passengers. Phase 2 includes Passenger Terminal Building of 107,000 square meters with Automated People Mover (APM) and automated walkways with 16 additional aircraft stands, which is expected to be completed in 2030, able to manage a capacity of 30 million annual passengers. Phase 3 includes Passenger Terminal 2 of 107,000 square meters with an additional Automated People Mover (APM) and 34 aircraft stands, which is expected to be completed in 2042, able to manage a capacity of 60 million annual passengers.

The construction of the 3,500 meters long second runway is now in the process of design and EHIA. The last public participation is expected to be held in early August 2020 before proposing to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning in late August 2020 for further consideration. The second runway is expected to be completed by 2024.