Thailand aviation: Construction to start on Aviation City at U-tapao (Bangkok region) airport
Thailand, where tourism accounted for 18% of GDP before COVID-19, was hit hard by the pandemic, where it lost Chinese, Australasian and western hemisphere trade especially.
One of the longest-established beach resorts is Pattaya, from the time when it was frequented by US air and navy men during the Vietnam War. Many of those US servicemen were based at the nearby U-tapao sea base and airfield, which latterly has been partially converted to a commercial airport (although the military maintains a presence).
The objective now is to build U-tapao into a 75mppa airport, initially starting with domestic services and international charters. The development is aimed unashamedly at building that tourist trade back up, rapidly. Altogether the three Bangkok airports (of which U-tapao is a designated one), will be able to handle 200mppa.
But there are even bigger plans, with the recent confirmation of the 'Aviation City' that is set to grow around U-tapao Airport.
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