U-Tapao airport to undertake phase II development

U-Tapao airport to undertake phase II development BANGKOK, April 9 (TNA) -- U-Tapao airport will invest about 800 million baht in undertaking it phase II development, aimed at boosting its capacity to cater about 60,000 flights annually. Admiral Vorapol Thongpreecha, director of the airport said as the number of passengers using U-Tapao airport is on the increase, development has already started and facilities, including runway and control tower, will have to strictly follow requirements stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). U-Tapao is in the eastern province of Rayong. He said ICAO officials are scheduled to inspect the development process during the second quarter of 2017. Talks on phase II development at the airport were held between Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong, senior officials of the airport and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The RTN has mapped out plans to develop the passenger terminal and runway to synchronised with the development of infrastructure programmes which include a motorway and an expansion of a highway. The Transport Ministry has cooperated with the RTN in developing U-Tapao airport after the passenger terminal under the Phase I programme with total investment of 614 million baht is due to open for use this August. According to Adm Vorapol, passengers using the airport since the beginning of this year totaled about 150,000. During the year of 2015, only about 115,000 passengers used the airport. Presently, U-Tapao’s capacity to provide services to passengers is about 3 million yearly. (END)