Thai airports to expand commercial areas

BANGKOK, April 2 (TNA) - Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) plans more commercial development at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket Airports to respond to the country's growing tourism-related businesses. AOT President Makin Petplai announced the plan on Wednesday under the “Airport City” strategy, in which more commercial areas, office buildings and a shopping center in an old warehouse compound will be built at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, for instance. Makin told journalists that a sports complex and outdoor sports facilities will also be developed at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, but Airport City ideas at Phuket Airport have not yet been drawn. The Phuket Airport is, however, under an expansion project to serve up to 12.5 million international passengers yearly. Meanwhile, Wuthichart Kalayanamit, President of Transport Company, under the Ministry of Transport, assessed that at least 1.2 million people should travel by inter-provincial buses during the Songkran Festival, or about 200,000 passengers daily, and his company and its concessionaires will, therefore, increase passenger bus and van trips from 5,000 to 7,000 daily during the period to sufficiently serve the growing demand. Wuthichart expected that the number of inter-provincial bus passengers should peak at 212,000 on April 11, asking police and soldiers to help guard bus terminals to ensure public safety during the upcoming travel spree. (TNA)