The Thai Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee has approved a proposed joint venture between the Royal Thai Navy (Bangkok Don Mueang) and BBS Consortium, which includes Bangkok Airways (PG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) as one of three partners, to develop Utapao airport, ThaiPBS has reported.
The joint venture, which has yet to be approved by the Cabinet and formalised, will see the Navy providing 10.4 square kilometres of land at and around the airport. The consortium, which includes Bangkok Airways, BTS Group Holding (the operator of rapid mass transit in Bangkok), and Sino-Thai Engineering, will be tasked with developing the so-called Eastern Airport City project.
The project has been estimated at THB290 billion baht (USD9.1 billion) and will entail the construction of a new terminal at Utapao, a cargo and logistics hub, a commercial zone, a free trade zone, facilities for new public transport links (including the planned high-speed rail linking Utapao with Bangkok and its two existing airports), and an aviation training centre.
BBS Consortium will also prepare the facilities for the proposed MRO base. The facility itself was due to be run as a joint-venture between Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) and Airbus but the European manufacturer has reportedly withdrawn from the project.
Meanwhile, The Bangkok Post reports that the Thai government has put on hold another airfield-related project, namely the transfer of four airports currently managed directly by the Ministry of Transport to the Airports of Thailand (AOT), a majority state-owned but publically-listed firm. Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam said the government had to conduct further legal and financial studies of the proposed move.
The government initially wanted to transfer the operation of Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Chumphon, and Tak airports to AOT. After consultations with the company, the plan was changed to include Udon Thani, Tak, Krabi, and Buri Ram airports. Currently, AOT manages Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Chiang Rai airports.
