Thailand is all set to construct an airport city, costing about THB 290 billion (INR 72,596.8 Crore), in the eastern province of Rayong. According to media reports, the government recently approved the mega project, which will kickstart this year.
The project aims to expand U-Tapao domestic airport into a multi-role international airport. With this, the government seeks to boost tourism and drive growth in the aviation sector and trade. The city is projected to come up on an area of 1,040 hectares and will be funded by a public-private partnership.
All you need to know about the upcoming airport city in Thailand
The U-Tapao Airport is the gateway to Pattaya and Rayong, two popular destinations in the country. And with the new project, the airport will also be linked with Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports, which will help boost tourism, news reports suggest. The airport city will also create employment opportunities, and is estimated to provide at least 15,600 additional jobs in the first five years, a report in The Bangkok Post adds.
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The airport city will also be a free trade zone for cargo, and it will have an aviation training centre, too. Besides this, an aircraft maintenance facility for the repair and overhaul of aircrafts is also in the project plan.
Thailand was among the first few nations, especially in Southeast Asia, that opened up for international visitors last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding to that is its open visa policy, which brought in about 11 million international tourists last year. The trend will only continue to grow as more nations make travel easier for their residents, and a major chunk of those visitors flock to the airports in Thailand, making use of the easy visa and other benefits that the nation provides. With the construction of the airport city, this process will also become easier, as international visitors will have more places to land at in the beautiful country.
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