Chiang Mai Airport plans massive expansion to accommodate 16.5 million travellers

[webfact]

 

Chiang Mai Airport is set to table its expansion proposal to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin during his scheduled visit this weekend.

 

The airport’s director, Wijit Kaewsaitiam, revealed that the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) is set to spearhead the construction of the terminal’s first phase.

 

The extension plan is aimed at significantly increasing the airport’s capacity, allowing it to accommodate over 16.5 million travellers annually, a huge leap from the current eight million. The airport also intends to ramp up its flight operations to 30 flights per hour, effectively doubling its existing capacity.

 

Wijit also noted that the airport’s operating hours would be extended to operate 24 hours a day. This is to facilitate a higher frequency of international flights, especially those originating from Europe.

 

by Mitch Connor

Picture courtesy of The Nation.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-09-14

 

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[2baht]

Shoot the works! Shoot for 25 million! ????

[SoilSpoil]

Doubling the number of passengers with an ever increasing smog problem? Outbound maybe. 

[JoePai]

ramp up its flight operations to 30 flights per hour

 

To put that into context,  Heathrow supports up to 90 per hour across 2 runways (same number runways as BKK)

[alien365]

Is there any easy way to get from the airport to the center of town yet or do those red pick up things still run the show?

[bristolgeoff]

Talked about for years and different sites round cnx.Rumours thaksim family own alot  of land near the airport or other areas.All people will do is wait and see and the airport works fine now as bkk is the main entry port for tourist.

[TheFishman1]

Great idea I spent 30 million this way every official involved I get a paid day TIT

[Jiggo]

19 minutes ago, alien365 said:

Is there any easy way to get from the airport to the center of town yet or do those red pick up things still run the show?

Airport Taxi 100 baht

[Sig]

20 minutes ago, alien365 said:

Is there any easy way to get from the airport to the center of town yet or do those red pick up things still run the show?

I used Grab last time I went through. Worked great.

[scorecard]

13 minutes ago, bristolgeoff said:

Talked about for years and different sites round cnx.Rumours thaksim family own alot  of land near the airport or other areas.All people will do is wait and see and the airport works fine now as bkk is the main entry port for tourist.

And "...he Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) is set to spearhead the construction of the terminal’s first..."

 

Construction contract already before national gov't approves.

 

Collusion?

 

 

[scorecard]

5 minutes ago, Sig said:

I used Grab last time I went through. Worked great.

Grab, Bolt, Maxim, Airport Limousine service, all work well, comfortable, door to door, and reasonable fares.

[alien365]

Just now, Jiggo said:

Airport Taxi 100 baht

100 baht, sounds good. I thought I'd read on here some time ago that there were problems with installing proper public transport. 

[NorthernRyland]

Chiang Mai airport is actually ok except for a couple months in the high season. Doesn't feel like it needs to double its size. The new parking area fixes the only serious problem it had. Thai population will start to contract in 2050 if I recall correctly so this will be temporary or driven by tourism. 

[NORDO]

Why?

One runway with one directional approach.

No Cat II or III.

move the airport out in the valley towards HD.

 

This current plan is just plain stupid. 

[Captain Monday]

37 minutes ago, Jiggo said:

Airport Taxi 100 baht

Airport Taxi 150 baht

 

22 minutes ago, NORDO said:

Why?

One runway with one directional approach.

No Cat II or III.

move the airport out in the valley towards HD.

 

This current plan is just plain stupid. 

Move, the airport? Not going to happen even if a new one were to be built.

 

 

[phetpeter]

Who cares their only interest is tourism, Phetchabun as an airport no flights, if airlines starting serving every all cities in Thailand, freight, postal services could use them as logistic hubs, not just for tourism  but, full on business use, If done right Thailand has a lot of unused airspace. Can't go north unless you travel to Bangkok first, what a waste of resources.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, 2baht said:

Shoot the works! Shoot for 25 million! ????

Build it and they will come... if the smoke stops.

[scorecard]

55 minutes ago, NORDO said:

Why?

One runway with one directional approach.

No Cat II or III.

move the airport out in the valley towards HD.

 

This current plan is just plain stupid. 

The current location is very convenient for most CM locals. 

[2peteok]

1 hour ago, alien365 said:

Is there any easy way to get from the airport to the center of town yet or do those red pick up things still run the show?

I don't know where you will find an easier, to access international airport. 10 minutes to the centre of town by taxi red truck or tuk tuk  They also now have bus service. 

[DD86]

  1 hour ago, Jiggo said:

Airport Taxi 100 baht

Airport Taxi 150 baht

 

Correct and cheaper than Grab.

 

[Sydebolle]

Mathematical average would be 22'500 tourists a day (given traveller counted twice, once arriving and once departing), which is wishful thinking as CNX is as seasonal as the rest of Thailand. 

Where does Srettha Thavisin want to accommodate this interesting number, capillary infrastructure (transfer to/from airport) etc. etc. etc. 

I think, the message lies in the airport’s director, Wijit Kaewsaitiam, statement that "the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) is to spearhead the construction". I was not aware of any government following the cement boys' intention but yes, every day is school day! 

It is an open secret that construction was always one of the smoke screens for tremendous non-receiptable outlays. The runway extension in Mae Hong Son springs to mind and Supanburi is also known as "Banharn-buri", named after a (meanwhile deceased) Minister of all trades incl. prime minister some 25 years ago. Banharn made zillions with construction mandates yet his electorate loved him for putting scary unnecessary infrastructure into his hometown. 

As the submarine deal might fall through - since the Germans will not supply the engines because of China and not because of Thailand - it means, no submarine deep sea port to be built. Well, if underwater infrastructure work does not work, maybe look at what kind of airport project they can come up with ........... 

Improve the product and go for quality tourism; the avalanches from China, India, Kazakhstan is not the answer to Thailand's problem with its rotten tourism industry ???? 

[nauseus]

Strange. Only a year or so ago they were talking about a completely new airport. 

[arithai12]

I thought they were developing an entirley new airport in SanKamphaeng or there about? Why invest in doubling flights in the old airport? Sounds like construction companies are smelling lucrative contracts with the new gov't. Besides, the idea of operating 24h the old airport is completely dumb, already when Pita voiced it during his half-day of selfies in town, and now again with Srettha. The airport is located in the middle of town, flights stop at night for the sanity of citizens. No domestic travelers want to fly at 2am, the rest are mainly chinese and koreans who are just 2 time zones away they also don't need that.

 

[Olmate]

6 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

I thought they were developing an entirley new airport in SanKamphaeng or there about? Why invest in doubling flights in the old airport? Sounds like construction companies are smelling lucrative contracts with the new gov't. Besides, the idea of operating 24h the old airport is completely dumb, already when Pita voiced it during his half-day of selfies in town, and now again with Srettha. The airport is located in the middle of town, flights stop at night for the sanity of citizens. No domestic travelers want to fly at 2am, the rest are mainly chinese and koreans who are just 2 time zones away they also don't need that.

 

Shouldn,t take long to whack up a new international airport! 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Olmate

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The airport also intends to ramp up its flight operations to 30 flights per hour, effectively doubling its existing capacity.

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

hours would be extended to operate 24 hours

I feel sorry for all the folks who live below the main southern flight path into CNX - Hang Dong in particular. Noisy enough now.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I do miss those buses they had for 20 bt with AC that went all over CM....but im usually coming off several flights and just WALK to city......to stretch my legs...if i get tired there are red trucks every 5 mins along the way.....and feels great to walk away from those hustlers at airport... ????

Use the BOLT app, so easy, door to door, always good rates, choice of branded vehicle (moxt exp.), non branded 'econo car' (always reasonable price) and pay by cash or by Thai bank debit card. And can give extra insruction re pick up point etc., to driver. Type in English, submit and it auto translates to Thai for the driver to read, same in reverse driver to passenger. 

Best to state a pick up point away from the taxi mafia who are always at the main exit door to avoid any confrontations.

Edited September 14, 2023 by scorecard

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

Talked about for years and different sites round cnx.Rumours thaksim family own alot  of land near the airport or other areas.All people will do is wait and see and the airport works fine now as bkk is the main entry port for tourist.

It was very convenient when flights operated direct from CNX to Ho Chi Minh City and reverse and direct to KL as first leg of AirAsia flights to Sydney. 

Edited September 14, 2023 by scorecard

[moe666]

4 hours ago, alien365 said:

Is there any easy way to get from the airport to the center of town yet or do those red pick up things still run the show?

I guess you missed it but there is a taxi service availible for at least the 13 years I have lived in Chiang Mai

[moe666]

2 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I do miss those buses they had for 20 bt with AC that went all over CM....but im usually coming off several flights and just WALK to city......to stretch my legs...if i get tired there are red trucks every 5 mins along the way.....and feels great to walk away from those hustlers at airport... ????

Never rode in a red taxi that had AC unless seating next to the driver

[creative1000]

6 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

Doubling the number of passengers with an ever increasing smog problem? Outbound maybe. 

Smog for 2-3 months. No smog for 9 months.