The Ministry of Transport and the Marine have signed an agreement on the future use of the naval airport U-Tapao in Rayong province and its extension.
From 1 June 2016, the Pattaya-Airport to be increasingly used commercially. With 200 million baht, a new terminal is being built. More 800,000 Baht provides the government for purchases. Then the airport can cope with future up to 3 million passengers a year, compared to 800,000 currently.
Between 2018 and 2020, the capacity will be expanded to 5 million passengers. According to Transport Minister Prajin Juntong U-Tapao is for the congested Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to the alternate aerodrome.
Especially in the years in which Suvarnabhumi is extended. Airlines in Europe, Russia and China are stopped, the future to fly to Pattaya Airport. Currently, U-Tapao mastered in up to 200,000 passengers and 400 flights, mostly by charter companies. The airport is also used by the Bangkok Airways and Air Kan, should in the next few months the AirAsia (Kuala Lumpur) and Thai AirAsia join (after China)
