Jose

Map with tracks in & around KPG airport.

Very light traffic there at the moment according to MapQuest's "live traffic".

That's the road you take to Had Yao East as well, no? Been down there on my bike. There's a crossroads at one point, one road to the left (goes to the airport?), one to the right (Had Yao East) and one straight ahead (only seems to go to a group of houses).

Yes, that's basically right, AT.

At that crossroad (point "B" on this map):

Left - go to the soon-to-be-infamous Koh PhaNgan International Airport;

Right - takes you towards Had Yao east;

Straight - to the best waterfalls on KPG (that's before they were destroyed by a greedy local who last year cut a steep dirt road through it), and a rock face climb down to the island's best-kept secret, tiny Nam Tok beach.

Koh PhaNgan 3D Virtual Tour

86km / 5hr loop with detours, all in 3 minutes.

Click on [3D>] button on left pane, and let it run once (to load sat images) before watching if net connection is slow.

Drag route to new locations if you like, and enjoy!

Runway is proposed to be 1,100 meters long

Minimum Take Off Distance: 1,402 metres

I certainly wouldn't like to be inside that bungalow, the one they always seem to build metres from the end of Thai runways...

I've had plenty of big bikes (GSX 1100, FJ 1200, Yamaha Tenere, etc), but my current Spark 135 scooter is the most fun I've ever had without scaring myself out of my wits.

There is something about an underpowered bike that challenges the rider to have fun, if only because you get to see more of the scenery at slower/sane speeds, specially on those rough backwater dirt roads.

Some people save for half a lifetime to vacation in a place where they can be treated like royalty, and actually feel like it too... for a week or ten days.

Others simply retire to it in a place where it costs almost nothing.

Everyone has their fantasies. There are enough TV shows, Club Med's, and bar girls to prove it.

Escapism. Some watch it. Some live it.

We ARE lucky... We get to choose which.

These would make excellent lyrics for a song.

Runway is proposed to be 1,100 meters long (NOT 1,500 meters)

Huston, we have a problem:

Bombardier Q400 turboprop.

Minimum Take Off Distance: 1,402 metres

Minimum Landing Distance: 1,287 metres

Instead I want it to be a bit more up-market and cater to locals, visiting couples and single women

I see what you're doing there...

Oh, man... what's eating you...

The last time I was at the KP airstrip site about a year ago, I could clearly see Than Sadet from what's left of the seaside hill of the site. The closest part of the runway is just 1km from Than Sadet beach, and only about 500m to the sea shore below.

AT, the road to the airstrip site is the dirt track before Than Sadet - see map here.

Thanks, SC.

Revised airstrip length (1100m) and orientation:

Jose, you are absolutely right, the terrain at this so called "airport" or airstrip requires landfilling if it is seriously going to be considered as a commercial airport.

If the developers do this then the effect on the local fauna and flora will be devastating.

Apart from the fact that the approach and departures will be bloody dangerous and will have to be visual only, there is the matter of putting in all of the equipment required to support the building and infrastructure. Roads to enable heavy traffic to build and support the project will need to be put in, Electricity, Terminal buildings etc etc.

All of this will totally destroy the local area and there will be "Mum n' Pop" shops springing up everywhere.

Aprat from ruining one of the most beautifulk spots on the island, In my opinion it will join the list as one of the most dangerous airports in the world.

Lastly the cynic in me says that the developers are in a "no lose" situation because if the airport doesn't work out there is everything in place to build luxury homes and Condos!

Totally agree, Gatorade - this project has everything stacked against it, specially due to the missing crucial infrastructure to support it. And as for the capital required to make it all work, the supporting numbers (tourist numbers) may not make economic sense.

My guess is that if/when it fails we'll find some sort of a luxury spa resort in its place, perhaps with a golf theme permeating the project - after all, golf courses require flatish land. And they could always add a runway to it sometime later, and name it something like... Don Muang II

My vote goes to the Samsung 6.3", Android os, screen large enough to read a map, email, Skype, all the mobile necessities - but still fits into cargo pants pockets.

For everything else, a PC with minimum 21" screen is the go for me.

I'm defferential (even to religions - all religions - that I do not subscribe to).

Excuse my ignorance - what does "defferential" mean?

Not having the Oxford English dictionary to hand, I'll have to tell you what it means to me (forgive me if I'm not pedantic enough for you).

To me, it means I respect others beliefs in whatever religion of their choosing and will even shed my shoes before walking upon hallowed ground, should occasion arise - even though I don't subscribe, personally, to the need.

I think it's called "respect".

If the word "defferential" was incorrect, I apologise with all my heart.

You can go back to sleep, now (unless you have something of value to contribute, that is).

No pedanticism involved at all - it's just simply that I had no clue as to what you meant by "defferential". There is nothing incorrect about a new English word which you may have just invented - if anything, I would proudly use at every possible occasion when the opportunity presents itself.

Anyway, the part I find curious is how you can reconcile "defference" and "respect" with "A swift kick in the tender regions and a hand larger than his head clasped around his windpipe would be my get out of jail ticket."

And by the way, being up at this time of the morning does not necessarily mean that we've all stayed up all night - unless by "You can go back to sleep" was meant it in a figuratively way, in which case my keyboard warrior persona will be forced to challenge yours to a duel.

Give them a call in Bangkok - they're bound to know who/where the local suppliers are.

Part of the experience / adventure is in finding out for sure, of course.

Yep, that's what it's all about.

See you up there.

I'm defferential (even to religions - all religions - that I do not subscribe to).

Excuse my ignorance - what does "defferential" mean?

A swift kick in the tender regions and a hand larger than his head clasped around his windpipe would be my get out of jail ticket.

Get some nuts, guys.

11 years in Thailand with that attitude, and you're still alive? You must have some cojones...

Maybe I should rephrase my question: is this dirt road passable at all? (Click on the [3D>] button for a virtual tour)

I simply want to have the power to get up and leave the pack behind.

wow leave the pack--toooo cool like Peter Fonda in easy rider

Ahaa - In this case the pack are waves, finos and pick-ups.

Problem is, you leave the last pack behind and sooner or later you'll catch up to the next one - never ends.

The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.

Lily Tomlin

1500m runway on PhaNgan's proposed airport:

To put this into some perspective, Samui airport's runway is 40% longer at 2100m (measured from the tarmac ends).

The airport developer(s) will need to do some serious land-filling, as the terrain drops noticeably at both ends of the runway.

Aircraft approach would probably be safest over the sea (eastern end), as a western approach may entail considerable risk, a bumpy ride over PhaNgan's mountain range thermals (avoided by most flights to/from Samui). This eastern approach would cross the existing Bangkok-Samui flight path at right angles.

Crosswind turbulence from surrounding hilly terrain may also be a problem for light aircraft landing on this runway.

<Google Earth tour attached>

KPG Airport Tour-1.kmz

Here are some pics of "Stumpy" sans tail.

She is making excellent progress and is now at my home waiting to be collected in a few days by her new owner to go to a happier life. . Thank you everyone and TV for your concern.

Gator

Beautiful girl... Many thanks for saving her life, Gatorade!

It's the same picture from 2002... Anyone who disagrees, just take a look at the clouds over Ban Tai and compare .... Same as 2002.... Not a new picture..

The "Ban Tai" placemark on Google Earth you are looking at is way misplaced - if you lived in KPG you would know that it is not even Ban Kai.

It's definitely a new sat pic for the western half of KPG - proof. And I can now see my house on the 8/Oct/2013 snapshot, which was missing on the 29/June/2002 previous pic.

Hmm... Maybe this is the airport construction site?

http://goo.gl/maps/UE2F2

About 1km NorthWest from your estimate.

Gmap vs photo comparison of KPG airport site.

Thanks!

Doesn't show the airport under construction but does show Big C? I wonder how old the images are...

Looks like only the western half of KPG was updated.

Check out the 2002-2013 differences for the Bantai area here.