DALLAS — The GMR Group, Thai AirAsia (FD), and other stakeholders participate in the ฿290bn (US$8.82bn) development of U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City.

According to a Thailand government official, the PPP Project was created to serve as the main anchor and pivot through which the Eastern Economic Corridor for Innovation (EECi) can realize its full potential in terms of bringing new competitiveness and prosperity to Thailand.

U-Tapao aims to become Thailand's third main international airport for business expansions, as well as to make the establishment of a Special Economic Zone easier in anticipation of EEC expansion.

Thanks to the enterprise, one of the biggest megastructure projects in the nation's history, Asia may soon have an aviation city as smaller aviation cities like Saudi Arabia's NEOM City in the Middle East gain popularity.

New U-Tapao Infrastructure

The upgraded airport facilities will have a new terminal building that will serve low-cost flights with a small number of full-service carriers, providing connections for travelers to flights to Don Muang Airport (DMK) and Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).

However, the enormous amount of space taken up will not only be used for one terminal building; plans call for the creation of a free trade zone for commodities, a flight instruction facility, and an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility.

According to a statement from Tipanan Sirichana, the PPP project will boost Thailand's aviation industry and create 15,600 additional jobs in the first five years. According to Tipanan, the public-private development in Thailand's industrial east would span 1,040 hectares (2,570 acres) and is designed to draw tourists.

According to a government website, the "Eastern Aviation City" project will also include a free trade zone for freight, an aviation training facility, and facilities for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

Building Asia's Most Exquisite Airport

The architectural design and consulting firm, One Works, was selected to serve as the airport's principal designer. One Works decided on the following principles when creating the airport master plan:

• Inter-modality and high level of accessibility, both locally and regionally;
• A functional mix of buildings based on receptive, tertiary, catering, retail, and leisure activities;
• Incredible architectural detail reflective of Thai culture;
• Reduced environmental impact;
• High sustainability standards;
• Increased integration of public areas - private buildings.

Cultural Values

The interior was likewise created with Thai culture in mind and was influenced by the local beach towns' architecture in the province of Rayong.

Overhead skylights, lush interior trees, greenery, and dynamic retail and food & beverage offer that are in the style of Thai street food will all distribute natural light. Passengers are given additional time to eat, shop, and rest because of the optimized walking times.

In addition to meeting the needs of people going to and from the airport, One Work's master design for Eastern Aviation City will also bring together everything a real city needs to prosper. A centrally located Smart Eco Hub retail area and Culture Village are also part of the airport's infrastructure and offer a distinctive form of entertainment.

https://airwaysmag.com/airasia-a330-ops-fleet-ramp-up/

Featured image: One Works