Bid to further develop U-Tapao Airport

BANGKOK, June 10 (TNA) -- The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) office plans to further develop the U-Tapao Airport from now until 2032 in an attempt to push the government’s policy on boosting trade in the EEC region,, said Kanit Sangsuphan, secretary-general of EEC office. Mr Kanit said during a seminar on Friday that the government has set the target to make U-Tapao Airport an aviation hub and new international airport for Thailand within five years from now. The number of passenger would be increased to 15 million by then. Discussions will be made with two giant aircraft manufacturers - Airbus and Boeing - to jointly invest in this programme and most importantly a high-speed train will be built and connect with logistics system, designed to strengthen potential of U-Tapao Airport, he said. Under the phase two programme, the government has set the target to make the airport to become aviation hub within 2032 and the government will invite John D Kasarda, an American academic and airport business consultant, to help in making the scheme comes true. Mr Kasarda, Director of the Centre for Air Commerce at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School, has earlier helped the Chinese government in developing the airport in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan Province in east-central China. To date, the airport has succeeded in persuading foreign investors to build factories near it. If succeeded, U-Tapao Airport would be expanded like airports in Hong Kong, Singapore and Zhengzhou, Mr Kanit added. (TNA)