Future Betong airport runway to handle large aircraft

By Charoon Thongnual 
The Nation

 

 

Ongoing construction of the Betong Airport on a 920-rai (147.2-hectare) plot of land in Yala’s Betong district has progressed by 35 per cent, and is slated for completion by the end of 2019.

 

Yala new usually receives about 600,000 visitors per year – a figure that is expected to rise to one million annually after the new airport is opened. 

 

 

The Cabinet also recently approved a runway extension from the original length of 1,800 metres to 2,100 metres – which will allow for large aircraft to land. 

 

The airport construction is one of a series of tourism-related infrastructure projects intended to attract more tourists to Yala’s Betong, Narathiwat’s Su-ngai Kolok and Pattani’s Nong Chik towns as per the Thai government’s “triangle economy city model” programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341792

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-27

Was wondering what, if any, progress was being made on the new airport that had been given the go ahead a couple of years back. Spent a good few weekends in Betong back in the 90's when working in Kelantan and really enjoyed the laid back experience.

The new airport will definitely change the area from a rather sleepy town to one that will see an uplift in tourist numbers and the increased hustle and bustle. Good for the local economy but maybe a loss to those seeking a more relaxed atmosphere, particularly as plane loads of Chinese tourists will be a likely outcome of the easier access.