Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (SET: AOT) announced that following the resolution of the Cabinet on July 1, 2025, it has been authorized to select a second private operator to participate in the project for ground handling services—including apron and ground support equipment (GSE), passenger handling services (PHS), and related businesses—at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The selection will be conducted under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act of B.E. 2562 (2019), with public invitation expected to be announced at the end of 2025.
The value of this ground handling service project, including apron, on-ground equipment, passenger handling, and related businesses at Suvarnabhumi, is estimated at over THB 9 billion, with a concession period of 20 years.
The new private partner will be selected under a Net Cost PPP model, replacing the current operator whose contract will expire in September 2026.
Currently, AOT has divided operators’ concessions for GSE and PHS as follows:
GSE (Ground Support Equipment):
- Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (SET: THAI), contract expiring in 2040.
- Bangkok Worldwide Flight Services Company Limited (majority owned—98.88%—by Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited (SET: BA)), contract expiring in 2026.
PHS (Passenger Handling Services):
- THAI, contract expiring in 2040.
- Bangkok Worldwide Flight Services, contract expired in 2021.
- Lufthansa Services (Thailand) Company Limited, contract expired in 2021.
AOT has temporarily extended the contracts for operators (2) and (3) until the new PPP selection process is complete.
With passenger and flight traffic expected to surge by 2032, AOT’s feasibility study concluded that current operating capacity will no longer suffice. It recommended increasing the number of GSE operators to three and PHS providers to four or five, to better serve rising demand.
The new second operator awarded under the upcoming PPP will be responsible for:
- Core apron and ground support services—such as aircraft ground support, baggage and cargo handling, and mail operations—for airlines.
- Related ancillary services—including general ground operations management and passenger services.
