Airport projects in Thailand, Singapore resume after COVID hiatus

Despite traffic recovery, scale of expansion raises concerns about capacity glut

Tan Son Nhat Airport near Ho Chi Minh City will break ground soon on a $460 million expansion that will boost capacity by 80%. © Reuters

TAMAKI KYOZUKA, SHUGO TAMURA and MAYUKO TANI, Nikkei staff writers

September 30, 2022 10:53 JST

TOKYO/SINGAPORE -- Airport projects are popping back up across Southeast Asia as demand for passenger and cargo flights rebounds from the pandemic.

Thailand is accelerating expansion plans at three Bangkok-area airports -- Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-Tapao. The government is looking to accommodate an expected increase in travelers in the upcoming busy season and beyond, a spokesperson told local media.