Thailand’s neighbors emphasis with these new roles of air cargo by the innovation of cargo management to facilitate with several activities in the difference functions for example Free Trade Zone, Logistic Center at Changi Airport, Singapore and Free Commercial Zone at the new airport of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Through the Vision of the government and the private sector in the area of air freight business agree that in the occurrence of the new international airport of Thailand (Suvarnabhumi Airport) which is going to be founded; it is a valuable opportunity to commence the airport to get the highest benefit to the National Economy. Then the Royal Thai Customs Department suggest that to setup the area of cargo in terms of Customs Free Zone by the attorney of Customs Free Zone Act 1999, which is the commencement of Customs Free Zone at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Since the benefit of customs tax regulation incentive and the operating process according to Customs Free Zone together with the bright prospect of our new airport. It is extremely confident that the Suvarnabhumi Airport going to be emerges as one of the best aviation hub in the region, not only in terms of passengers but also in the logistics and air cargo aspect.

Simultaneously, there’s another roles to enlarge the National Economy and globalization business opportunity which consists of

• More attractive to the international airlines by using Suvarnabhumi Airport as their transit point
• More feasible to locate the regional distribution centers for the logistics entrepreneur
• More efficient performance of supply chain network serving the exporter
• More channels for mixing, assembling and exporting the product
• More value added product in both industrial and agricultural segment

As mention above from various goals and reasons, The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has initiated the customs Free Zone for the modernization of the International airport including the cooperation of several parties and organizations to setup the regulation and master plan.

• The stakeholders which are setting up the master plan of Customs Free Zone at Suvarnabhumi Airport consist of The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT)
• New Bangkok International Airport Company Limited (NBIA)
• The Customs Department of the Kingdom of Thailand
• Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (TG)
• Thai Airports Ground Services Company limited
• Thai Air Freight Forwarders Association (TAFA)
• Airline Cargo Business Association (ACBA)

Once they consider sharing ideas about the working procedure and the arrangement of Customs Free Zone for the highest benefit to the airport and for the Thai Air Freight, finally they obtain the final conclusion as

• Settle the area of 600,000 square meters or 400 rais to be the air cargo boundary for the first phase and for the expansion in the future.
• The area of 600,000 square meters divided into three main areas as follow:
  • First area: Office area including Office facilities, to handle the business aspect and the customs formality including
    1. Royal Thai Customs Department and Other Government Agencies (OGAs) Building, using for the customs formality and another law services as a “one stop service”
    2. 4 Buildings of Air Freight Forwarder Agent Office in the area of 10,000 m2 each., for serve as a rental office
    3. Head Office Building, for Free Zone Operator office and rental office for several parties such as supporting export government sector, Bank, and Airlines.
    4. 2 Car park Buildings with the capacity of 500 cars each, one for the government agencies and another on for public and Free Zone Operator.
    5. Servicing Facilities consist of Canteens, Convenience Stores, and Banks which are located in both car park building
    6. Truck and Public parking lot, in the appropriate location for the visitor and other agencies with the perfect order and security.
  • Second area: Access Control and Inspection Area including the area of cargo inspection and access controlling, which is setting up for the convenience of cargo movement controlled within the Customs Free Zone area.
  1. Customs Export Clearance Building (CE), for the export cargo customs formality process prior move the cargo into the restricted area (Customs Free Zone Area)
  2. Customs Import Clearance Building (CI), for the import cargo customs formality process prior move the cargo into the public area
  3. Checking Post (CP), located between the export and import clearance building. All import and export declaration documents will be processed and scanned via barcode scanner by customs officer.
  • Third area: Area according to the Customs Free Zone Act 1999, which all of the activities that going to take place within this area obtains the privilege by the law.
    • Two Terminal Buildings, that managing the transit and transshipment cargo between air and land cargo including
      • Offload the cargo from Container or pallet
      • Store and deliver cargo and to the importer
      • Receive the cargo form the exporter
      • Upload the cargo
      • Handle all of the containers and pallets for standing by.
      • Recording the inbound and outbound cargo manifest automatically.

With latest technologies equipped in these 2 buildings, this area can serve not only as the regional distribution center and airlines’ offices, but can also be an ideal place for agricultural product’s transshipment.
The first building will be operated by Thai Airways International with initial capacity of 1.2 million tons per year and potentially can be expanded to 2.5 million tons in the future.

The second building will be operated by authorized companies with initial capacity of 500,000 tons per year and potentially can be expanded to 800,000 tons in the future.

• Cargo buildings for authorized shipping companies which they can get benefits from so-called “Fast Track” procedures.
• This zone will be comprised of 8 buildings in total with capacity of 11,000 square meters each. They are opened for rental with standard unit of 600 square meters.
• Central Utility building provides such facilities for everyone in Exemption zone as Public agency offices, Livestock Holding area, Security office, First Aid, shops, restaurants, Waste Management Center and Shuttle Bus Maintenance Center.

Moreover, in order to keep your businesses run as smooth and effective as silk, all well-prepared supporting systems will cover:

• Electricity
• Effective communication system and electronic data interchange system operated by the Royal Thai Customs Department.
• Computer system and Customs Free Zone management system - with such various supporting programs as risk management program and barcode system
• CCTV Security system
• Shuttle buses within Customs Free Zone

With the innovative cooperation and hard work among agents both public and private sectors, this is one of our most proud moments to announce that Customs Free Zone and Customs Free Zone master plan have eventually been completed. And now Customs Free Zone is ready at Suvarnabhumi Airport!