Thailand Eastern Economic Corridor Office will issue a Notice to Proceed on April 3, 2026 for the U Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City project. The development has a total investment value of about USD 8.1 billion, converted from 290 billion baht, and will operate under a 50 year concession ending in 2076.
The Notice to Proceed follows a contract management agreement signed on January 29, 2026 between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office and U Tapao International Aviation Company Limited, the concessionaire. The agreement resolved previous delays related to construction planning and the high speed rail link connecting three airports.
The project is divided into six phases. Phase 1 is designed to handle at least 12 million passengers per year. Further phases will proceed when passenger traffic reaches 80 % of capacity in each phase. The long term target is 60 million passengers annually by the end of the concession period.
Construction is expected to take five years, with operations planned to begin in 2031. Key works include a new passenger terminal of more than 157,000 square meters and a second runway measuring 3,500 meters. The runway is scheduled for completion by October 29, 2028.
Phase 1 also includes air cargo facilities with capacity exceeding one million tons per year and development of an airport city area with commercial and event facilities.
(Source: The Nation)
