Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) has spent Bt3.8 billion built its cargo and mail complex

at the future Suvarnabhumi International Airport in a bid to reap the benefits from the country's growing logistics business, which is expected to expand alongside the country's desire to become Southeast Asia's aviation hub.

The 152,000-square-metre complex is 50-per-cent bigger than THAI's current warehouse at Don Muang airport.

The new airport will have the world's largest single passenger terminal and the tallest air traffic control tower at 132 metres.

 In addition THAI's new cargo complex will be the biggest single cargo terminal in Southeast Asia.

According to Chanchai Singtoroj, managing director for cargo and commer-

cial mail, the complex is divided into three areas:

lThe international cargo terminal, with an annual storage capacity of 966,000 tonnes, which will be expanded to 1.2 million tonnes in the second phase which will be built between 2010 and 2014;

lDomestic terminal storage of 10,500sqm, which is located outside of the customs-free zone;

lThe 1,600sqm mail centre, which will be located in passenger terminal.

The cargo area in the terminal will be restricted to authorised personnel only and monitored by security.

All other divisions, such as sales, marketing, administration and management, will be located outside the terminal area.

THAI has separated its international cargo operation into four areas: customer airlines, the THAI cargo area and that of its alliance partners, an area for perishable goods and an express service section.

The THAI cargo complex features the latest technology and equipment. Two elevated transfer vehicles can store up to 219 shipments awaiting export.

There is also an automated storage and retrieval system for storing import shipments prior to local delivery and transfer vehicles will move cargo through the terminal.

The facilities will be monitored by 300 closed-circuit cameras, 100 of which will be on around the clock. The terminal will also be equipped with X-ray machines to scan entire containers.

In 2005, THAI cargo at Don Muang handled 1.1 million import, export and transit shipments - equal to 841,000 tonnes.

That cargo was carried by both THAI and its customer airlines, an increase of 7 per cent on 2004.

The new airport, which is slated to open on September 28, is expected to handle around 1.3 million tonnes of cargo and mail per year. It is hoped this will increase to 1.6 million tons by 2010.

THAI has also entered into a joint venture with Japanese trading firm Itochu to build and operate a distribution centre at the new airport.

The Bt100-million warehouse will be a central distribution point for THAI and Itochu, especially for small items such as computer parts, electronic components and hi-tech parts.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation