The U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City Development Project, operated by U-Tapao International Aviation Company Limited (UTA) — linked to Keeree Kanjanapas, chairman of BTS Group Holdings Public Company Limited — has faced more than five years and five months of delay since the contract was signed.
Key turning point expected in December
The project has reached a crucial juncture as UTA and the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EEC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) extending the deadline for the Notice to Proceed (NTP) to December 2025.
Keeree Kanjanapas is scheduled to meet with the EEC in December to unlock investment incentives and consider a possible extension of the project contract. UTA will finalise progress and direction during that month and announce updates to the public.
Causes of delay and project stagnation
The NTP has yet to be issued due to complications with related infrastructure projects — particularly the high-speed rail network connecting the three airports (Suvarnabhumi–Don Mueang–U-Tapao), which still lacks a clear construction start date.
Another major obstacle lies in the uncertainty over investor privileges, a crucial contractual condition that must be resolved before the project can move forward.
About the Author
