PATTAYA, Thailand – U-Tapao International Aviation Co. Ltd. (UTA), the concessionaire for the 290-billion-baht U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City development project, has confirmed its commitment to the project while awaiting official approval to begin work. The company has now extended the period to receive the Notice to Proceed (NTP) from the Navy and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Office until December 2025, allowing time to finalize investment incentives and submit proposals to investors.
UTA has hired Flughafen München GmbH (FMG), the operator of Munich’s Franz Josef Strauss International Airport in Germany, to join Narita International Airport Corporation of Japan in managing the technical aspects of U-Tapao Airport. This move aims to strengthen airport operations and technical expertise in preparation for the airport’s phased development.
The EEC has requested that UTA study passenger projections for the airport over the full 50-year concession period, considering multiple factors that could affect growth. Initially, UTA proposed a reduced first-phase terminal capable of handling 3 million passengers annually, down from the originally planned 12 million. The EEC wants detailed forecasts on how various factors—including the capacities of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports operated by Airports of Thailand (AOT)—may impact long-term passenger numbers.
UTA has also requested over 10 investment incentives, primarily tax measures, including exemptions on import duties and corporate income tax within the Free Trade Zone, as well as benefits for annual spending over 200,000 baht. These proposals are expected to be presented to the EEC Board and the Cabinet for approval.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn will chair the first EEC Board meeting under the new government, primarily to review project updates. Discussions on the proposed high-speed rail connecting the three airports—Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao, with potential extension to Trat—will be preliminary, pending data from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
UTA’s partnership with Munich Airport and the phased development plan highlight the government and private sector’s effort to balance technical excellence, passenger demand, and strategic investment incentives in the Eastern Economic Corridor.
