Chiang Mai private-jet terminal revived
Published: 5/03/2011 at 12:00 AM
CHIANG MAI : Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is reviving its plan to build a private jet terminal at Chiang Mai International Airport in a bid to attract wealthy travellers to the northern city.
The SET-listed airport operator is becoming more optimistic about the potential to create an additional business opportunity and an expanded role for the airport.
AoT first considered the idea two years ago but had doubts at the time about its viability.
But president Serirat Prasutanond said yesterday that the private jet terminal would now go ahead, along with a similar but larger facility at Phuket International Airport where robust demand already exists from affluent flyers.
Both sites would be financed, built and operated by private companies under 15-year concessions from AoT. It expects to issue bid terms by June and award contracts by the fourth quarter of this year.
The terminals could begin operating by the third or fourth quarter of next year, said Sirote Duangratana, executive vice-president for business development and marketing at AoT.
The one-storey terminal at Chiang Mai would cover 8,500 square metres and be located near the main passenger terminal.
AoT estimates the Chiang Mai terminal would cost 50-60 million baht and the one in Phuket terminal at least 100 million. the latter would have a footprint of only 1,000 square metres but would have two storeys.
Mr Sirote said that a company known as Kingdom Alliance Aviation had proposed building the Chiang Mai private jet terminal, mainly to facilitate international film movie stars working on films being shot in the area.
The interest in building a private jet terminal in Phuket is clearly greater than in Chiang Mai because the southern resort island attracts many wealthy people for both leisure and business purposes, while Chiang Mai is mainly a leisure destination, he said.
Mjets, the private jet terminal operator controlled by Minor Group chairman Bill Heinecke, has already decided to bid for a second facility in Phuket.
Managing director Jaiyavat Navaraj has said the Phuket terminal would cost 200 million baht and would build on opportunities arising from the successful launch of its first site at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport a year ago.
Mjets believes Phuket is the only other location in Thailand, aside from Bangkok, that can support a private jet terminal.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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