Smart city and U-Tapao Eastern Aviation City: commercial zone starts in late 2026

Eastern Aviation City, covering about 1,040 hectares, is being created around U-Tapao Airport. It is often called a "smart city" near Pattaya.

What the project includes

• a passenger terminal and a free-trade zone for cargo;
• an aviation training centre, aircraft repair and maintenance;
• a commercial zone: hotels, shopping centres and housing. According to the schedule, construction will start in late 2026.

Smart city projects in the EEC

Smart city initiatives are developing in the Eastern Economic Corridor: the government has cited a figure of around 100 billion baht, and private developers have announced their own projects, for example Origin Smart City Rayong in the Noen Phra area (Rayong).

What this means for Pattaya

Near the airport, Na Jomtien and east Pattaya stand to benefit: demand from tenants and specialists is growing. More: U-Tapao Airport and Google in Chonburi.

*Sources: EECO, trade publications.*