Thailand is accelerating infrastructure upgrades at Hua Hin Airport in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, with a road tunnel and runway safety area expansion scheduled for completion by August 2026. The project aims to meet international safety standards, secure an operating certificate and attract foreign airlines to launch direct international services, supporting tourism and economic growth in the region.

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The development forms part of the government’s wider strategy to stimulate regional economies and strengthen tourism in secondary cities. Authorities aim to position Hua Hin as a major gateway for the upper South and the Gulf of Thailand coast, while creating new opportunities for local businesses and communities.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana said on 30 May 2026 that the government, under Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, was continuing efforts to improve transport and tourism infrastructure across the country. The initiative is intended to increase the potential of regional destinations and encourage greater income distribution beyond major cities.

Deputy Transport Minister Phattrapong Phattraprasit recently visited Prachuap Khiri Khan to monitor progress on airport development projects. During the visit, he instructed the Department of Airports to accelerate construction of the road tunnel and the expansion of the safety area around runway 16 to ensure completion by August 2026.

The upgrades are designed to bring the airport into line with the safety requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Officials have also been directed to address remaining safety issues and expedite the application process for a public aerodrome operating certificate, which is considered essential for attracting international carriers.

Authorities are working with government agencies, tourism operators, airlines and hotel businesses to support the launch of direct international routes. The focus is on attracting high-potential visitors, long-stay travellers and health tourism markets, in line with government efforts to strengthen higher-value tourism.

Discussions are also under way on integrated tourism packages covering flights, accommodation and travel services. Preparations are being made by immigration, customs, plant quarantine and animal quarantine authorities to ensure readiness for future international operations.

Hua Hin Airport currently has the capacity to handle 300 passengers per hour. It features a 2,100 x 35 metre runway and an apron capable of accommodating two A320 or B737-800 aircraft simultaneously.

Between 2018 and 2020, the airport operated international services on the Kuala Lumpur-Hua Hin-Kuala Lumpur route before flights were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thai AirAsia currently continues to operate services between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin.

Nation reported that Lalida said the government believes the airport upgrade will help stimulate the economy, support tourism, create jobs and generate income for local residents and businesses, while helping Hua Hin develop into a fully fledged international destination in the future.

Picture courtesy of The Nation

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Nation 1 June 2026

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This is the yearly news about HH international Airport!

As long as I have been in Thailand, this is the annual update for 25 years. Maybe this year ?

6 hours ago, Hummin said:

This is the yearly news about HH international Airport!

As long as I have been in Thailand, this is the annual update for 25 years. Maybe this year ?

Thanks. This is the first time I've heard and think it would be a great idea.

It is all about demand for flights and costs.

Using commercial jets, daily flights will not be economical, although weekly may be at certain times of the year.

Is there some unwritten law that states that only jets can use HH airport?

For a distance as short as HH-BKK/DML, a Dash400 or similar would be perfect and easy to operate without the need for extensive "improvements" that have already been mooted for 25 years. I am sure there would be thousands of customers for that short journey.

20 hours ago, Hummin said:

This is the yearly news about HH international Airport!

As long as I have been in Thailand, this is the annual update for 25 years. Maybe this year ?

I completely agree with that. It’s true, people have been saying this for years, but there’s a difference now compared to previous years: they’ve been working on widening the runway for some time now – a major project – so it might actually happen this time.

HH also soon gone then🙈☹️ Nothing contributes more to overtourism than low-cost flights together with government policies, and the over ambitions of more more more service providers in tourist destinations.

Felt

19 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

I completely agree with that. It’s true, people have been saying this for years, but there’s a difference now compared to previous years: they’ve been working on widening the runway for some time now – a major project – so it might actually happen this time.

When I was looking for an apartment in Hua Hin, the airport and the high-speed train were part of their sales argument about future infrastructure. They even talked about a secret tunnel and a station under Bluport for the high-speed train.

What he did not know was that I had known Hua Hin and those plans for more than a decade already.

I will believe it when I see it, so far it would appear that Hua Hin is one of the most underutilized airports in all of Asia, and it's been that way for decades. Nobody can quite figure out the reason for that, these days. With the roads coming in and out of Bangkok being so dreadful, and slow, and congested, there is an enormous need for regional alternatives to the Bangkok airports.

4 hours ago, Leopold Bloom said:

Is there some unwritten law that states that only jets can use HH airport?

For a distance as short as HH-BKK/DML, a Dash400 or similar would be perfect and easy to operate without the need for extensive "improvements" that have already been mooted for 25 years. I am sure there would be thousands of customers for that short journey.

You ask a good question. Something like a SkyCourier, Dash 8 or ATR72 could easily operate from HH.

One thing to consider is its destination airport. As these aircraft are relatively slow there needs to be longer approach and departure sequencing at the 'other' airport, which is an issue if that airport is busy. Compared with a 737 taking off or landing behind another 737, air traffic control can't allow a 737 to take off too soon after a Dash 8, they'll catch up too quickly. Can't allow a Dash 8 to be too close behind an arriving 73 due to wake turbulence, A 73 behind an 8 needs to be more widely spaced due to differing approach speeds (typically 140kts versus 100-125). More spacing = more time = capacity hit.

The main airports in Bangkok may not want that capacity hit. Well, I mean in the case of BKK, additional hit. I think BKK has around 10 ATRs operated by Bangkok Airways but may not want any more, whilst DMK has none (as far as I know) and may not want any.

That all said, other major airports in the region may have more ability that Bangkok to handle.

The runway widening project is far behind schedule and no where near ready for an August completion date. The tunnel underpass is not even half done.

On 6/1/2026 at 7:03 PM, Hummin said:

This is the yearly news about HH international Airport!

As long as I have been in Thailand, this is the annual update for 25 years. Maybe this year ?

We will be dead before it happens

As a full time resident of Hua Hin...i hope it doesn't change the city.

11 hours ago, Leopold Bloom said:

Is there some unwritten law that states that only jets can use HH airport?

For a distance as short as HH-BKK/DML, a Dash400 or similar would be perfect and easy to operate without the need for extensive "improvements" that have already been mooted for 25 years. I am sure there would be thousands of customers for that short journey.

No unwritten law. Kan Air served there for a few years with an ATR 72-500 and a Cessna 208B Gran Caravan. I think Covid wiped them out, or maybe it was wiped out before then.

Some airlines (Air Asia I think) have flown there with A320s.

Personally I don't see how there would ever be enough demand. Flying from Bangkok makes absolutely no sense at all, especially when the Rama II expressway is finished in 2076. Even now it makes no sense. And Hua Hin is hardly a regional beauty spot. It's an average town, average beach full of jellyfish, not crystal clear water, congested town centre traffic. It has a bit of charm and history but not much more. If you're visiting from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia or other countries that could potentially land at an expanded airport would you want to holiday in Hua Hin? You'd go to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Samui, Phuket, Krabi etc, places that appeal to international tourists.

I don't get it.

The sheer volume of construction around that one area near the old streets is crazy ... that's not great. That's going to be years of construction of many new buildings around there.

Unfortunately instead of preserving the old charm it's heading straight to Pattaya territory.

There goes the neigbourhood!

Flew there once from Chiang Mai. Great little airport. 15 baht songthaew to town. Perfect.

Yeah you do wish they could hold some preservation and make it law not to destroy charming old areas .... but the volume of construction going on, the condo developers are on the way to make another soulless region.

As someone said, the beach and and area is nothing special. What made it a place to visit was the charm, and old style feel. That it was far enough from Bangkok not to be over run by trash tourists.

If you just want Pattaya Mark 2 and let market vultures move in then it's a shame.

On 6/1/2026 at 3:58 PM, Georgealbert said:

Hua Hin Airport currently has the capacity to handle 300 passengers per hour.

Seriously ? Most Thai bus stations can handle more than that.

Again ... how many times do they need to revamp it to yet fail once again as an international airport.

It can't even manage to be a profitable domestic destination airport.

Maybe start by making HH a domestic success before dreaming of further afield.. .. both unlikely imo

On 6/2/2026 at 8:45 AM, spidermike007 said:

I will believe it when I see it, so far it would appear that Hua Hin is one of the most underutilized airports in all of Asia, and it's been that way for decades. Nobody can quite figure out the reason for that, these days. With the roads coming in and out of Bangkok being so dreadful, and slow, and congested, there is an enormous need for regional alternatives to the Bangkok airports.

I’m sure it would work for short flights like KL, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Penang and Singapore. They wouldn’t have to be daily flights. Then there’s Phuket, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai , Trat that could be popular. Hopefully with decent planes .

26 minutes ago, geisha said:

I’m sure it would work for short flights like KL, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Penang and Singapore. They wouldn’t have to be daily flights. Then there’s Phuket, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai , Trat that could be popular. Hopefully with decent planes .

I totally agree with you that it's perfect for original flights, my point was simply that it has remained the most underutilized airport in Southeast Asia for decades now.

1 hour ago, geisha said:

I’m sure it would work for short flights like KL, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Penang and Singapore. They wouldn’t have to be daily flights. Then there’s Phuket, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai , Trat that could be popular. Hopefully with decent planes .

Service to a few of those routes have been tried, and all failed.