A new highway extension will improve access to and from a key airport in Thailand – image courtesy of © Sjankauskas, Dreamstime.com
A highway extension project will help boost transport to and from Thailand’s U-Tapao International Airport. In order to improve access to the facility, Highway 7 running between Bangkok, Chon Buri and Map Ta Phut will be extended.
Building an extra 3.5km for highway 7 to connect with the airport is expected to cost over US$135 million. The tender process for the project will commence shortly and the timeline for the project calls for the new link to be ready by 2025.
The road extension project is being managed by Thailand’s Department of Highways (DOH) on behalf of the Ministry of Transport. A loan facility is expected to help finance the project.
Bangkok’s two main airports have operated at full capacity prior to the pandemic and improving access to U-Tapao International Airport. Although the airport serves the cities of Rayong and Pattaya directly, it is also comparatively close to Bangkok and provides additional passenger capacity to the country’s capital.
Thailand's economy relies heavily on the tourism sector so boosting passenger capacity at the country's international airports is of importance. The U-Tapao International Airport has already served as the country's main airport temporarily when political protests previously closed Bangkok's two main airports. The facility is substantial already and is currently used by the national carrier Thai Airways for maintenance of its fleet and also by the Thai Navy as an operating base for its aircraft.
