Airports of Thailand (AoT) has set a budget of 140 billion baht for two airport construction projects, including the building of Andaman International Airport in Phangnga.
AoT president Kerati Kijmanawat said both projects -- the new airport in Phangnga and a second phase renovation of Chiang Mai Airport -- were the responses by the authorities to urgent policies presented by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
"They aim at stimulating tourism, but one also encourages Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, and Ranong to become hubs for air transportation," said Mr Kerati.
The Andaman International Airport will be constructed on roughly 6,000 rai in Thakua Thung district's tambon Kok Kloi, which is a Ratchaphatsadu area owned by the Treasury Department.
Mr Kerati said the AoT had conducted some research regarding the construction plan for the area.
As the project has become an urgent policy, the AoT is determined to start work on it as soon as possible.
The AoT is expected to recruit a consultant for the project's research and development stage, at least by the end of this year, to conduct a study mainly on the project's investment, said Mr Kerati.
Once approval is given, the construction process is expected to take at least seven years, with the research and development phase taking three years and the construction taking another four.
The airport is expected to be operational by 2031, said Mr Kerati.
The airport is expected to increase tourist numbers visiting the Andaman region by at least 15 million, he said.
He added that the AoT will also spend another 70 billion baht for the second phase renovation of Chiang Mai International Airport, which was more complicated due to the land being owned by a private agency.
