Thailand
Thailand: Navy to issue U-tapao MRO Phase 2 terms in February
The Royal Thai Navy aims to launch terms of reference (ToR) for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility’s second phase at U-tapao airport in February.
This is the continuation of the airport plan after the navy issued the ToR for the first phase in October.
The first ToR, worth 10.6 billion baht, is for 500 rai, while the second phase will occupy 300 rai.
Rear Adm Krekchai Wajanaporn, deputy of the Royal Thai Naval Institute Library, said the MRO facilities are part of five megaprojects under the government’s infrastructure development in the flagship Eastern Economic Corridor scheme.
The 224.5-billion-baht high speed railway linking three major airports and the 55.4-billion-baht third phase of Map Ta Phut seaport were the first two projects, followed by the MRO hub and the 270-billion-baht U-tapao aviation city.
“The MRO’s second phase will see local and foreign companies express intentions to invest in a form of public-private partnership, similar to those for Bangkok Airways and AirAsia,” Rear Adm Krekchai said.
He said the mobile cabinet has already approved the first phase of the MRO hub.
The second phase is under consideration and the navy will design a difference investment model and consider return on the investment.
The U-tapao aviation city has attracted 42 companies to buy envelopes, with 24 Thai and 18 foreign. The parties include China Communication Construction Co, China Railways Construction Corporation, Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad and Thai Airways International Plc.
The navy plans to announce a winning bidder next March after the document submission process is done on Feb 28, 2019.
The U-tapao airport is a joint civil-military public airport serving Rayong and Pattaya City in Thailand.
The airport is located on 6,500 rai in Ban Chang district, Rayong province, serving as the U-tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield-Sattahip Naval Base.
U-tapao airport will enhance capacity for greater passenger, freight and flight volumes.
The whole project comprises an airport expansion that will construct a second runway and taxiway as well as the third terminal and development of aviation-related industries that include MRO facilities, aviation training centres, cargo villages and commercial precincts.
The U-tapao airport will be upgraded to serve as the third-largest commercial airport, expecting to handle 15 million passengers in the next five years, 30 million passengers in the next 15 years and 60 million passengers in the next 20 years.
Earlier, the cabinet approved the construction of the second runway for 17.76 billion baht and aviation control tower at 3 billion baht.
“The U-tapao airport will serve passenger growth in Southeast Asia, as it is set to be the aviation hub for this region,” Rear Adm Krekchai said.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1597946/navy-to-issue-u-tapao-mro-phase-2-terms-in-february