Air Force Considers Plan to Relocate Udon Training Base

[webfact]

 

by Paul Rujopakarn

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has revealed that it is considering relocating a training base for Thai and Singaporean F-16 fighter jets to Nam Phong Air Base in Khon Kaen province over the next 3-4 years in order to address noise concerns.

 

The move is intended to help residents living near the air base in Udon Thani province cope with excessive noise created by fighter jet engines.

 

A meeting convened by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the RTAF, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and local residents discussed increasing noise pollution in recent years, particularly during take-offs and landings.

 

Gp Capt Wisarut Chanthapradit, commander of the RTAF’s 23rd air wing, said all parties are making every effort to address complaints and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

 

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According to the commander, the base typically only has three or four jets in service during this time of the year. However, up to 12 aircraft have been sent to the province to participate in a variety of training programs, resulting in the current noise situation.

 

Sarawut Petchpanomporn, the Pheu Thai Member of Parliament for Udon Thani and chairman of the House committee, expressed his support for the air force’s decision to relocate the training base. He also requested additional assistance and counseling for residents impacted by the increased air traffic.

 

According to Sayan Meekaew, chief of the Environment Office’s environment quality control division, hazardous noise levels have so far been detected across three areas near the base.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-299

 

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[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He also requested additional assistance and counseling for residents impacted by the increased air traffic.

Each will receive a bag of cotton wool and instructions on how to stuff it in their ears.

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

According to the commander, the base typically only has three or four jets in service during this time of the year.

A ruse for the expected invading country ? 

[JoePai]

Why does it take 3 or 4 years to move the base/planes a few miles down the road ?

[SomchaiCNX]

Grow up near an air force base, it has a big economical impact on the village. Most villagers have  no problems with these airplanes. Newcomers and politicians however..... We had the whole range from WWII (Germans) to the F 104 and F 16. The F16 is quiet compared to a F104.

Relocating makes only sense to safe costs and simplify things.

[SomchaiCNX]

2 hours ago, JoePai said:

Why does it take 3 or 4 years to move the base/planes a few miles down the road ?

Politicians?

 

[klauskunkel]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

3-4 years

three or four jets

I'll be damned, that's lottery number material!

I go pray to the jets!

[MrJ2U]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Why does it take 3 or 4 years to move the base/planes a few miles down the road ?

I think Khon Kaen airport infrastructure is small compared to the Udon Thani set up.

 

 

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Why does it take 3 or 4 years to move the base/planes a few miles down the road ?

I think Khon Kaen airport infrastructure is small compared to the Udon Thani set up.

I think it would have happened earlier but Covid kicked the relocation can down the road by two years.

 

Khon Kaen airport is for commercial and private flights only whereas Udon Thani airport shares Udon RTAF base with their commercial flights.

 

Nam Phong is a Vietnam-era air strip that's being upgraded to take this noisy, seasonal flight training load away from a busy UTH.

 

Some local bars and hotels in Udon will miss the income from the Singaporean flyers. Not sure how they will find after-hours entertainment at Nam Phong but I am sure the Isaan entrepreneurial spirit will prevail.

[KhunBENQ]

25 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

I think Khon Kaen airport infrastructure is small compared to the Udon Thani set up.

 

 

Were do they write about Khon Kaen airport?

Heaven helps they would build an airforce base there

Nice shift to a much bigger populated area.

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Nam Phong Air Base in Khon Kaen province

Quite a bit to the north of the city.

(I should have read @NanLaew's post before)

Edited March 29, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

10 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Udon Thani airport shares Udon RTAF base with their commercial flights.

And  the location of UTH is quite annoying as the city has grown around the airport.

You need to do some nice detours when driving from one spot to another.

 

[NanLaew]

19 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

And  the location of UTH is quite annoying as the city has grown around the airport.

You need to do some nice detours when driving from one spot to another.

 

Yes. Some of my best friends here are westend Nimbys.

[MrJ2U]

55 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Were do they write about Khon Kaen airport?

I just assumed as the military jets fly and land at the commercial airport in Udon Thani.

 

Either way hopefully far away from the populated areas of Khon Kaen.  

 

Great City.

Edited March 29, 2022 by MrJ2U

[MrJ2U]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Singaporean flyers

They haven't been here for a while.

 

I know they would fill the Pannarai Hotel quite often before COVID-19.

 

Talking about the bar scene.  Udon Thani looks like its picked up a bit.

 

Lively City.

[Excel]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

Why does it take 3 or 4 years to move the base/planes a few miles down the road ?

Massive Kick backs take time to be organised because the current base has a massive re-development potential in Udon Thani

Edited March 29, 2022 by Excel

[PETERTHEEATER]

Just where is the airfield in Nam Phong District? Distance and bearing from Khon Kaen Airport would help.