HUGE upgrade to transform Hua Hin airport as passenger traffic to increase tenfold

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Hua Hin airport due for upgrade, Ratchaburi could get small one

 

The Airports Department will spend Bt3.5 billion to upgrade Hua Hin International Airport over the next five years, the department’s director-general said on Monday.

 

Darun Saengchai said the upgrade was part of the “Riviera Thailand” and Southern Economic Corridor projects. He said work at the airport would take four or five years and include enlarging the passenger terminal and building a second one. The number of travellers using the airport is expected to increase by tenfold, to three million a year, within that timeframe.

Darun said the runway would also be extended, from 30 to 45 metres, and the hangars would be expanded. The department was looking at building an airport in Ratchaburi for private jets, he said, mulling plans for both facilities and financing.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30351532

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-06

[from the home of CC]

there goes the neighborhood. 

[NCC1701A]

I have been in Hua Hin for five years and it has really grown in that time.

 

you can see all the construction of the “Riviera Thailand and Southern Economic Corridor projects" all up and down the coast. Some of the work is minor like bike lanes, seawalls, street lighting, new signage, repaved roads along the coast from Pranburi to PKK.

 

Construction of the elevated dual track train has begun in Hua Hin.

 

I spoke to a Chinese business woman who said her company is investing in 5000 MORE condo units in Hua Hin.

 

Many people here on TV poo poo everything the Thais do, but they are serious about transforming the whole coast line.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by NCC1701A

[from the home of CC]

I also came here about 5 years ago from a small village in the south. What I liked about it was the mix of the old ways with the new, vice and crime considerably lower and really only busy on the weekends (BKK tourists). Between the hi speed train and this ' riviera" development those aspects which attracted me may be gone. Thank goodness I'm 102 and probably not long for this world.⌛?

[sgiandubh69]

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ?

[CLW]

Duck and cover. The Chinese are coming.
Or maybe not anymore

[Hockeybik]

12 minutes ago, sgiandubh69 said:

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ?

...or you could re-read it

[observer90210]

Nice....more crowds, over packed restaurants, more noise and pollution, more tourists misbehaving,  retailers will get spoilt and hike prices, more crime, congested trafic, longer queues at immigration,  are some of the few that unfortunately go with the developpement package......but on the other hand it would also be nice for those who visit the area to have a flight direct from BKK to HH or from HH to anywhere out of Thailand for a visa run....and obviously the developpement will attract more hotties from Isaan to work in some fine new "cultural and entertainement venues".

Edited August 6, 2018 by observer90210

[ozfarang]

4 hours ago, sgiandubh69 said:

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ?

Width...............Larger and heavier aircraft.?

[Felt 35]

4 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Nice....more crowds, over packed restaurants, more noise and pollution, more tourists misbehaving,  retailers will get spoilt and hike prices, more crime, congested trafic, longer queues at immigration,  are some of the few that unfortunately go with the developpement package......but on the other hand it would also be nice for those who visit the area to have a flight direct from BKK to HH or from HH to anywhere out of Thailand for a visa run....and obviously the developpement will attract more hotties from Isaan to work in some fine new "cultural and entertainement venues".

A new Pattaya / Phuket...not long before the aging tourist / long stayers from Northern Europe are gone then....... 

[maccastime]

Any improvement on the current airport would be well overdue you could have a picnic on the airstrip most days not much traffic arrives

[chrisinth]

They can plan upgrades to airports all day long, but unless you have the flights (and choice of destinations), then it is just a bigger space to wait for flights.

 

They 'upgraded' Phitsanulok (about 10 years ago), fitted for, but not with international arrivals/departures. We have NOK, Air Asia and Lion flying in and out but with only Bangkok as a destination. All flights North were cancelled and never started again when Thai opted out. The old terminal could have coped with the light traffic they currently have.

 

Hope they make better use of Hua Hin and it isn't just a favoured construction job for 'friends of a family'. That said, if it is successful, be careful what you wish for as this will change Hua Hin dramatically.

[chrisinth]

13 hours ago, ozfarang said:

Width...............Larger and heavier aircraft.?

It is a bit like the runway at Dublin airport which is reportedly very short but really, really wide.

 

 

Apols ozfarang, replied to the wrong post, should have been sglandubh69.

Edited August 7, 2018 by chrisinth

[JimHuaHin]

Time to move out of Hua Hin!!!

 

Dwelling prices are already way too high, and the quality of life in Hua Hin is certainly declining.

 

Over the past few years, many Thai and foreign friends have moved away from Hua Hin due to the high costs of living here, as well as the crowding, not helped by hoards of Chinese tourists walking around shopping centes with their large suitcase.

[AhFarangJa]

28 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Time to move out of Hua Hin!!!

 

Dwelling prices are already way too high, and the quality of life in Hua Hin is certainly declining.

 

Over the past few years, many Thai and foreign friends have moved away from Hua Hin due to the high costs of living here, as well as the crowding, not helped by hoards of Chinese tourists walking around shopping centes with their large suitcase.

+1 Jim.

[AJBangkok]

I would not like to own a house at the entrance of Palm Hills when the jets are coming in. The small training aircraft that use the airport now are not that noisy when they land and they rarely take off over the palm hills end but when they do they are loud. I can’t I imagine how bad the jets will be. Just out of interest has anyone been in a car under the landing path when the jet from KL comes in on a Friday morning. Will the jets ever take off over the palm hills end in the future?

[connda]

Who flies to this International Airport.  You can't even find a domestic flight through Expedia from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin International Airport.  Must not be much of an airport.  General aviation at best.

Edited August 7, 2018 by connda

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, connda said:

Who flies to this International Airport.  You can't even find a domestic flight through Expedia from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin International Airport.  Must not be much of an airport.  General aviation at best.

Currently there is only Air Asia flying 4 return flights a week from Kuala Lumpur.  There are plans/talks for Air Asia to expand air travel to Hua Hin but we'll see.

Previous attempts over the years have failed.

[PETERTHEEATER]

On 8/6/2018 at 2:36 PM, sgiandubh69 said:

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ??

Yes, presumably the rubble taken from demolition of the current long runway will be used as foundations for the new terminals. The 45 meter long runway will, of course, be used only by helicopters and VSTOL aircraft types

[PETERTHEEATER]

9 hours ago, maccastime said:

Any improvement on the current airport would be well overdue you could have a picnic on the airstrip most days not much traffic arrives

It has an active commercial flying training school with plenty of movements keeping ATC busy so keep yours eyes open when you're picnicing........

[hhinhh]

Presently there are 4 flights a week. Tenfold means 5 flights a day or roughly 1000 passengers a day. That is only a small number in relation to the tourists coming in by road daily .

However Hua Hin should be alerted to keeps its relaxed atmosphere and not allow condos growing faster than the infrastructure.

[swissie]

Plenty of unsold condos already. Now the Chinese want to build 5000 more.

Clearly, they will not stop at the "Pattayafication" and "Phuketification" as long as there is an ocean nearby.
I had Hua-Hin / Cha Am on the radar as part of a retirement project. The way things are going, I may take it off the radar.
-------------
And next? There is plenty of natural inland lakes/artificial lakes for folks wanting to live "near the water". (Will only need some "re-zoning").
I may take those inland-lakes on my radar instead of a Beach-Resort, that desperately tries to imitate Pattaya or Phuket.
Cheers.

[HHTel]

4 hours ago, hhinhh said:

Presently there are 4 flights a week. Tenfold means 5 flights a day or roughly 1000 passengers a day. That is only a small number in relation to the tourists coming in by road daily .

 

However Hua Hin should be alerted to keeps its relaxed atmosphere and not allow condos growing faster than the infrastructure.

 

Too late!

[SpaceKadet]

On 8/7/2018 at 9:15 AM, connda said:

Who flies to this International Airport.  You can't even find a domestic flight through Expedia from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin International Airport.  Must not be much of an airport.  General aviation at best.

It was a regional airport just like many regional airports around. SGA and later Nok Air run a shuttle from Bangkok (12 sitter Cessna boneshaker). But the airport was mostly used by the Royal Family since they have a big palace there, and our last King liked to spend time in Hua Hin.

 

The problem was that when the royals came, the airport closed for several hours. Hope they can make it work now with regularly scheduled flights.

[Felt 35]

On ‎8‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 1:42 AM, swissie said:

Plenty of unsold condos already. Now the Chinese want to build 5000 more.

Clearly, they will not stop at the "Pattayafication" and "Phuketification" as long as there is an ocean nearby.
I had Hua-Hin / Cha Am on the radar as part of a retirement project. The way things are going, I may take it off the radar.
-------------
And next? There is plenty of natural inland lakes/artificial lakes for folks wanting to live "near the water". (Will only need some "re-zoning").
I may take those inland-lakes on my radar instead of a Beach-Resort, that desperately tries to imitate Pattaya or Phuket.
Cheers.

ah well we can most likely give up ...for those of use in the last stage of life and relatively early visits/settlement in Thailand and who have seen how both Pattaya and Phuket once was around the early/middle 80`s know what we can expect, Its just a question about time......?

Edited August 10, 2018 by Felt 35

[clifric]

I moved out of Hua Hin after 5 years following a flight from the sex slum of Pattaya; I will not tell you where or you will all want to come but I live in a lovely village with lots of nice friendly Thai friends, no traffic, no tourists but access to main transport arteries of needed.

Hua Hin is dead - long live ********

[lanista]

Poor  'ol Hua Hin,.  Used to be my favourite destination but long since discarded . TAT want millions of Chinese and fat  Russians and Germans flopping around the place.  Hua Hin's beach ,waste management  and environment protection will go the same way as Pattaya.  Down the sewer.

[oztaurus]

On 8/6/2018 at 2:36 PM, sgiandubh69 said:

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ?

never mind the length, but just look at the WIDTH of the thing ...

[overherebc]

On 8/6/2018 at 2:36 PM, sgiandubh69 said:

A 45 meter runway - wow - so long ?

STOL's ???

[overherebc]

On 8/10/2018 at 1:53 PM, clifric said:

I moved out of Hua Hin after 5 years following a flight from the sex slum of Pattaya; I will not tell you where or you will all want to come but I live in a lovely village with lots of nice friendly Thai friends, no traffic, no tourists but access to main transport arteries of needed.

Hua Hin is dead - long live ********

Udon Nakon Nowhere???