The Nation
26 Feb 2026
The Eastern Economic Corridor Office will issue a Notice to Proceed for the THB290 billion U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City project on April 3, 2026, starting a 50-year concession running to 2076. Phase 1 aims to handle at least 12 million passengers a year.
Chula Sukmanop, secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), provided an update on the THB290 billion U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City development, saying the EECO will issue a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to U-Tapao International Aviation Co., Ltd. (UTA) on April 3, 2026. The date will mark the official start of the 50-year project timeline, with the concession due to end in 2076.
The airport development plan sets a five-year construction period, with operations targeted to begin in 2031. Key works include:
- Construction of a new passenger terminal and facilities, to be aligned with
- Runway 2 so completion and system testing can be carried out in tandem.
Runway 2, 3,500 metres long.
Runway 2 is currently under construction, with a total programme of 1,095 days (30 months of construction and six months of testing). It is scheduled for completion by October 29, 2028 (B.E. 2571), which Chula said will be in time for the Phase 1 opening...
