The State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO) has clarified that the return of arrival duty-free retail space by Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is not a contract cancellation but a postponement. The contract terms remain unchanged, and renegotiation is possible, but must prioritize the state's best interests. SEPO will not directly examine the confidential financial figures between AOT and its contractual partners. The key timeline begins on July 2, 2024, when the Cabinet acknowledged the approach to suspend tax privileges for arrival duty-free shops. AOT then took back approximately 2,250.60 square meters of space from King Power starting August 1, 2024. On August 14, 2026, AOT sent a letter to the Fiscal Policy Office proposing a plan to resume arrival duty-free services.
Airports Of Thailand PCLSEPO clarifies AOT's return of arrival duty-free space is a postponement, not a contract cancellation, with renegotiation possible under state-interest rules.
