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U-Taphai Airport
As Bangkok's third airport, U-Taphao International Airport will help the eastern area, which includes Chonburi, Chachoengsao, Rayong, and the city of Pattaya.
But U-Taphao Airport already exists a small regional airport that served local routes to Chiang Mai, Phuket, or Khon Kaen as well as charter flights from Russia, China, Korea, and India, but not currently in use.
The Thai government and the land's owner, the Royal Thai Navy, want to develop the area into a major airport capable of handling 40 million people annually.
Both Suvarnabhumi Airport, the city's main airport, and Don Mueang Airport, the city's secondary airport, operate at or above their limits in the same year (60 million passengers pre-Covid). This makes the case for a third airport in Bangkok stronger.
U-Taphao Airport is part of the Thai Government's plan to develop a high-value economic cluster in the area, and the country is counting on business and tourist travellers using the airport to help make that happen.
Despite the presence of COVID-19, the majority of passengers utilising the airport in Thailand at the moment are Thais and foreigners on their way to Rayong's islands or the city of Pattaya.
Travelers from East Asia, Russia, and China make up the bulk of the industry. There have been Russian charter flights here from S7, Nordwind, Rossiya, UT Air, Transaero, and Ural Air.
In 2018, Qatar Airways began operating a direct trip from Doha to U-Taphao using a Boeing 787; however, the airline has since reduced capacity on the route by switching to an Airbus A319. COVID has delayed any certainty on the revival of this path.
Low-cost airlines like Air Asia, Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet may have a home base at the airport and provide point-to-point flights across Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Budget airlines from China and India, who together make up the bulk of Thailand's tourist industry, are among the international carriers that might use this airport as a point of entry.
Pattaya is a popular place for Russian tourists to go, so if the conflict in Ukraine goes on for a long time, this could lead to a lot of Russian tourists going to Pattaya.Since visitors from the Middle East have a strong preference for the area, Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar might possibly make a comeback.
Investment in Thailand, and notably in the aviation industry, will benefit from the new airport city. Ultimately, this will strengthen the aviation industry in the Kingdom and increase its competitiveness.
Since the Thai government is now giving firms incentives to move to this area, the ambitious airport master plan will also help with the growth and the expected increase in business and people.
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