New International Airport For Chiang Mai?

[folium]

East China Air still flies direct to Kunming, according to my itasoftware dot com search. I suspect many posters are not current either because they are not familiar with certain destinations or because airlines (famously) come and go here with seasons and profits. Good thing we all keep each other informed, what with Hot Weather (maybe) going to meet smoke (maybe) this month.

Limited days during the week are not a problem for me; what I enjoy is avoiding BKK when going everywhere but south.

What's this business about a 4th ring road (if we can call it that) being 'under construction' - certainly someone should have reported it????? Seems like a false rumor to me, failing other gnus.

Just to avoid any confusion, its China Eastern that flies every evening in a CRJ from CNX-CMG. Handy for a trip to Yunnan or o/n in KMG and then fly on to wherever.

[ianf]

From what I understand the deposed exiled ex-prime minister was behind this scheme. He and his family are alleged to have purchased large tracts of land beyond Sanpatong for the new airport; Unfortunately (sic) his scheme was somewhat delayed due to being removed from his job; However the roads that were to serve this airport continue(d) to be built (hence the roads from Canal Road corner thrugh to the Mae Wang Road and further on. His scheme was somewhat opposed by the Air Force who own Chiang Mai airport and would be loathe to give up their lucrative business; Their fightback against the exile's alleged scheme included refurbishing the existing airport. If a new airport is to be built then that is because Sister Y is now in charge of the family business and can authorise such unnecessary development because of her position of power. I think this story may run on and on. Meanwhile .........

[Ricardo]

Meanwhile the project I'd like to see, as a local thank-you to her home-town, is the high-speed railway to China running through the North-West, with a spur off to Chiang Mai, then we'd never need a new airport anyway, not that we do now !

I think one has to accept, it's fairly-normal for Thai PMs to direct investment towards their home-towns, no great reason why this shouldn't continue, so long as it's an economically-useful project.

[el jefe]

To correct the info in post #32, Thaksin and family/friends bought up land in Sankamphaeng (not Sanpatong) for the new airport that was going to be built there. those plans were scuttled.

The new international airport is now planned for Sanpatong. As has been reported above, the road to Pasang has been completed. the connecting roads from the 108 to Mae Wang to the Canal Road are currently under construction.

Having a new airport will accomplist two objectives:

1. Planes willno longer land within 500 meters of Nimmanhaemin Road, eliminating a safety hazzard.

2. a longer runway will allow bigger planes, fully loaded, to land in CM(Sanpatong). There is a weight limit for planes landing at current CNX because of the runway length, which cannot be extended at any cost.

If all this is true, many of us will have a longer commute to/from the airport, but on the plus side there willbe many more intl flights, especially to China.

other annecdotal evidence backing up the plans for a new airport are Land and Houses building a huge new moo ban adjacent to the current airport. the plans include two new condos to be built on that site. Say what you want about Thai business sense, but do you really think Land and Houses would build 1,000 houses and two condos on an airport runway?

I have no secret documents to back this up since I'm not invited to cabinet meetings, but this is what I've heard from reliable sources.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Say what you want about Thai business sense, but do you really think Land and Houses would build 1,000 houses and two condos on an airport runway?

Yes, they would. ( Seriously, being close to an airport is not the negative here that it is perceived to be in the West. )

BTW, for flights to China the current runway works just fine. It's fully loaded to Europe and the USA that would be an issue. Though... if TG can't even fly to New York from Bangkok due to insufficient interest, it's really not feasible from a business sense to do regular long distance flights from points outside Asia direct into Chiang Mai. (save the occasional charter flight, but that's not enough to make a new big airport worthwhile)

Of course the above doesn't mean that a new airport won't happen. Often big show-off projects are undertaken here just for the sake of doing a big show-off project, plus kickbacks.

But it may take a VERY long time, fortunately. Look at the new convention center that was reduced in scope and then increased again as different government came and went. It's now finally happening.

[kevbap]

http://www.chiangmaiairportonline.com/node/10

that's your current list of take offs/landings in Chiang Mai, i live right next to the airport, and if it wasn't for a great big fence and a trek across the runway, would be there in 5 minutes walk.

regards 'Geekie' plane spotter

Kevin

[bangkok blue]

China Eastern Air operate from Chiangmai to Kunming, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. leave Chiangmai about 7:30pm.... Return flight is around 5ish from Kunming. I'm booked to go end of April, so pretty sure about this. You will have no joy booking on their website. best way is via a travel agent. I for one recommend P&P travel.

[koosdeboer]

I recall discussion of a road from San-Sai hospital (where the road from Mae-Rim joins Rte 1001), 3 km North of Mae-Jo, along the foot of the hills towards Doi Saket, several years ago, which could be an outer-outer-ring-road ? This was supposed to run near some land which we were looking-at. But there's no sign of it as-yet !

Ditto the 'new airport', which I first heard rumours of, nine years ago.

Must be the 121 or the 3th ring road.

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[Lizard2010]

Cant wait to try Air Asia flight to Singapore in November