Plan To Build Airport In Phang-nga

[george]

Plan to build airport in Phang-nga

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Transport Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri visits the southern resort province of Phang-nga today to inspect an area where an airport is to be constructed, aimed at alleviating heavy air traffic at the nearby Phuket Airport, and promoting tourism in Phang-Nga and adjacent areas.

Mr. Vichet said he believed the site had sufficient potential for the construction of the airport, as it had an area of about 454 rai, and is situated in Takua Pa district .

The area with the width of 400 meters and length of 1,800 meters could accommodate an airport runway of approximately 1,500 meters and cater small-sized planes, such as ATR72 with 70-seat.

He said he had ordered officials at the Department of Aviation to conduct a feasibility study on the potential to build a commercial airport at the site.

Plans are being made to enlarge the runway with the length of 3,000 meters so that the airport could accommodate medium-sized planes such as Boeing 737 with 150 seats.

The area is about 120 kilometers from the Phuket Airport, which is facing a heavy traffic and unable to facilitate an increase in flights.

Phang-nga, therefore, seems to be an ideal place for a new airport as it has several tourist attractions, including natural parks and the Pan Yi Island.

Also, more five-star hotels have been built at the Kao Lak National Park to facilitate tourists wishing to proceed to the Similan Island, which is not too far away.

To date, people wishing to travel to Phang-Nga have to either fly to Phuket, and then take a road journey for a distance of about 58 kilometers, or take a flight to Ranong and then take a bus to Phang-Nga, which takes about three hours to reach there.

-- TNA 2004-07-24

[ovenman]

To date, people wishing to travel to Phang-Nga have to either fly to Phuket, and then take a road journey for a distance of about 58 kilometers, or take a flight to Ranong and then take a bus to Phang-Nga, which takes about three hours to reach there.

Wow, people have to travel a whole 58 kilometers from Phuket airport to Phang-Nga! The horror! The hardship!

There have been several stories in the newspaper the past couple of months regarding how unprofitable the majority of these smaller provincial airports are for Airports of Thailand. Now they are considering building yet another one that will probably generate near-zero traffic...?