Nation Thailand
01 Jan 2026
Thailand will enter another political transition in 2026 after the Election Commission (EC) set a new House of Representatives election for February 8, with advance voting on February 1.
Amid continued political uncertainty, one immediate impact has been the inability to move forward with approvals for projects that carry long-term budget commitments.
The Ministry of Transport, a key driver of infrastructure investment, has been allocated THB265.41 billion for 2026, up THB20.83 billion, or about 8.52%, from 2025.
The ministry has compiled a list of projects awaiting submission to a new Cabinet for approval, saying these could be pushed ahead immediately once a new government is in place.
In total, 11 projects are currently in the queue for Cabinet consideration, with a combined value of THB359.80 billion.
Large-scale aviation investments earmarked for 2026 focus on boosting passenger capacity to support tourism and economic growth, with a combined value of about THB90.66 billion.
1. Suvarnabhumi Airport East Expansion, THB13.83 billion, aimed at increasing capacity from 65 million passengers per year to 80 million.
2. Don Mueang Airport development, Phase 3, THB36.83 billion, to raise capacity from 30 million passengers per year to 40 million.
3. Chiang Mai Airport development, Phase 1, THB24 billion, to expand capacity from 8 million passengers per year to 20 million.
4. Phuket Airport development, Phase 2, THB16 billion, to increase capacity from 12.5 million passengers per year to 18 million...
