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Thailand’s visitor arrivals target of 15 million in 2007 is expected to get a major fillip with the successful opening of Bangkok’s brand new Suvarnabhumi airport. The new world-class facility, which now boasts the…
Thailand’s visitor arrivals target of 15 million in 2007 is expected to get a major fillip with the successful opening of Bangkok’s brand new Suvarnabhumi airport. The new world-class facility, which now boasts the world’s largest passenger terminal, puts Bangkok ahead of other regional airports that have opened in Asia in recent years. By all indications, apart from a few glitches involving baggage deliveries, the new airport is operating smoothly.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Acting Governor Pensuda Priaram said: “The long-awaited opening of Suvarnabhumi is one of the most important landmarks in the history of Thai travel & tourism. We have no doubt that it will attract more visitors to Thailand, be it as inbound tourists or transit passengers who will become future tourists.”
Being positioned as the new “Gateway to Asia,” the new airport cost 155 billion baht (roughly US$ 4.07 billion), and will handle just under 100 domestic and foreign airlines, both cargo and passengers. The fastest growing are low-cost airline passengers.
Designed for annual passenger movements of 45 million a year, airport officials say it is already close to that figure and, at current growth rates, will hit 60 million passenger within three years.
As 80% of all visitor arrivals to Thailand enter through Bangkok, it will give a new impetus to travel & tourism throughout the region. It is superbly connected by expressway to all the inner Bangkok city hotels as well as to the beach resort of Pattaya.
The surrounding area, today largely a greenfield, is also set to fill up with housing estates and commercial areas to support the thousands of people who will work at or near the airport. Built with the help of loans from the Japanese government, Suvarnabhumi is owned and operated by Airports of Thailand (AOT), a publicly traded company listed on the stock market but owned largely by the Thai government.
The airport Passenger Service Charge (airport tax) will rise as of February 1, 2007 to 700 baht for international flights and 100 baht for domestic flights. The landing and parking fees will rise by 15% as of April 1, 2007. The airport tax generates roughly 40% of AOT pcl’s total revenues, and landing/parking charges about 21%.
Shopping concessions generate roughly 26%. Like the former airport, Suvarnabhumi will have an elegant 20,000 sq m of retail shopping space operated by King Power Duty Free under a 10-year contract.
There is enough space for four runways and an eventual capacity of 100 million annual passenger movements. Work on a third runway is to start soon. A low cost airline terminal is to be built at a projected cost of 900 million baht and a rail link straight into downtown Bangkok will open in two years.
National airline Thai Airways International has lauded the opening of the new airport and plans to promote it extensively as part of its growth plans for 2007. It has five business and five first class lounges and a smart transit lounge to help it better tap the huge potential for stopover traffic between Asia and the world’s continents.
The entire move from Don Muang was carried out on the night of Sept 27/28 2006 as millions of tons of aircraft and equipment were flown and/or to Suvarnabhumi within a span of roughly 12 hours.
The relocation involved a military-style exercise involving dozens of 10-wheel trucks carrying thousands of tools, spare parts, engines, cargo containers, pallets, loading/unloading equipment, kitchenware, cranes, forklifts, cabin items, IT hardware, aircraft moving vehicles, etc.
The entire move was televised live nationwide all through the night. The last THAI commercial flight from Don Muang was TG 662 to Shanghai at 0145. The first international flight to land was a Lufthansa Cargo aircraft. The old airport at Don Muang was shut down as a commercial facility but will remain open for charters, VIP flights and training flights. THAI Airways International’s maintenance centre will also remain at Don Muang.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
