PATTAYA, Thailand – Airports of Thailand (AOT) is preparing for a surge in travel during the Songkran holiday, forecasting approximately 3.7 million passengers across its six main airports between April 10–19, a 2.3% increase compared to the same period last year.
AOT President Pavina Jariyathitipong said the expected growth reflects strong domestic travel demand as people return to their hometowns and travel nationwide during the holiday period. Domestic passenger numbers are projected to reach around 1.44 million, up 9.3%, while international passengers are estimated at 2.26 million, down slightly by 2.2% due to the impact of ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Total flight movements are expected to reach approximately 23,070, an increase of 2.6%. This includes about 10,918 domestic flights, up 4.5%, and 12,152 international flights, up 0.9%.
The six AOT-managed airports include Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, Phuket International Airport, and Hat Yai International Airport.
To ease congestion, AOT is offering free parking at selected airports during the holiday period. At Suvarnabhumi, free parking will be available at the long-term Zone C lot from April 11–15, with 24-hour shuttle bus services to the terminal. At Don Mueang, free parking will be provided at the Cargo Building 4 area over the same dates, also with round-the-clock shuttle services.
Additional free parking will be available at Phuket Airport’s X-Terminal area from the evening of April 10 through April 15, and at Hat Yai Airport’s designated parking area from April 12–16.
AOT said it has prepared comprehensive measures to ensure smooth, safe, and seamless travel. These include increasing the availability of luggage carts, expanding self-service check-in (CUSS) and self-bag drop (CUBD) systems, and deploying biometric facial recognition technology to speed up passenger processing.
Special assistance services will also be enhanced for passengers requiring extra support, while shuttle bus services within airport grounds will operate continuously. Airport ambassadors and help staff will be stationed throughout terminals to assist travelers.
Multilingual interpreters have been arranged—particularly at Suvarnabhumi Airport—covering key languages such as Korean, Japanese, Russian, and Chinese, along with others including French, Arabic, and Vietnamese.
AOT is also coordinating closely with immigration police to increase staffing levels and speed up passport control procedures, as well as working with public transport operators to ensure smooth connections to and from airports.
A 24-hour Passenger Facilitation Center will be in operation throughout the Songkran period, while enhanced security measures and stricter screening protocols have been implemented across all airports to maintain safety and boost traveler confidence during Thailand’s busiest holiday season.
