Pictures courtesy of Daily News.

 

Nan Nakhon Airport is set for a major overhaul with a 3.8 billion baht project aimed at expanding its runway, taxiways, and passenger terminal. The expansion will increase the runway’s length to 2,300 metres, accommodating larger aircraft and boosting the airport’s capacity to handle more international flights. 

 

Mr. Danai Rueangson, Director-General of the Department of Airports (DOA), announced that the designs for the runway extension, taxiways, and terminal improvements have been completed. The plans are now under review by relevant authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Royal Thai Air Force. Additionally, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been submitted and is being revised in line with feedback from the Expert Advisory Committee.

 

Currently, Nan Nakhon Airport’s runway spans 2,000 metres, which is sufficient to accommodate aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing B737-800 for domestic flights. However, the expansion will allow the airport to accommodate larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A321 and Boeing B737-900, and handle international flights, particularly from ASEAN countries and East Asia. This expansion is expected to support the growing number of passengers and enhance the region’s connectivity, thereby promoting tourism in Nan.

 

In addition to the runway extension, the airport’s passenger terminal will undergo significant upgrades. The terminal’s capacity will increase from 300 passengers per hour to 1,400 passengers per hour. The expansion also includes the construction of a new parking facility, which will provide space for 600 cars. The architectural design will incorporate traditional Lanna culture, blending it with modern materials.

 

The overall cost of the project is estimated at 3.89 billion baht, and it will require the acquisition of 134 rai of land to the north of the airport, extending towards the Nan River, to facilitate the runway expansion. Land acquisition is expected to take place between 2027 and 2029, with construction set to begin in 2030 and completed by 2032.

 

Currently, Nan Nakhon Airport is served by two airlines: Thai AirAsia, which operates three daily flights, and Nok Air, which operates one daily flight. In 2024, the airport handled approximately 407,145 passengers, or about 1,100 passengers per day. This number is expected to rise, with estimates for early 2025 suggesting around 72,525 passengers in the first two months. However, passenger traffic has not yet returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, with 2019 seeing passenger numbers between 620,500 and 730,000, and daily flights peaking at 12.

 

The ambitious expansion project is expected to provide a significant boost to Nan’s infrastructure and tourism sector, paving the way for the region’s continued development as a travel destination.

 

-- 2025-03-09

 

 

Unless they know something that the rest of us don't (which is certainly possible), this has all the earmarks of a boondoggle. I was in Nan a couple of months ago, and the current terminal looks quite new. And given that there are very few domestic flights going there, it's hard to imagine why there would be any demand for direct international flights to a province that is very scenic, but has limited infrastructure for mass tourism.

They lengthened the runway and southern overrun area a couple of years ago and just did a modest terminal expansion. I don't think the airport has ever had more than nine commercial pax flights a day, currently closer to five-seven. This is madness, a complete waste of monies.