U-tapao Airport

[rififi]

Hi,

As i see on the bangkok airways website it's 1000 baht cheaper to fly from Pattaya to Koh Samui instead of Bangkok.As we are staying in Pattaya for 2 nights we don't have to return to Bangkok to get a flight. How far is the airport from Pattaya city center? Sure there's a departure tax to be paid?

[wilko]

Hi,

As i see on the bangkok airways website it's 1000 baht cheaper to fly from Pattaya to Koh Samui instead of Bangkok.As we are staying in Pattaya  for 2 nights we don't have to return to Bangkok to get a flight. How far is the airport from Pattaya city center? Sure there's a departure tax to be paid?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Utapao is a military airbase about 45 min by minibus from Pattaya.

I can't remember if there's an airport tax but there certainly is at Samui - about 4/500 baht.

The only public flights from Utapao are Bangkok Air to Samui and Phuket, and some others to Singapore and some Russian charter flights.

It's quite a pleasant little airport with a cafe outside and a bar in the departure lounge. I would say infinitely preferable to struggling around Bkk airport. if you're flying back to Utapao it's a good idea to book a return seat on the minibus, although I've never had any big problems arriving unannounced.

Look out for some cheap flight deals at the moment, the standard return fare is about 5250 baht.

The flight is about 50 min.

[jbaldwin]

Departure tax at U Tapao for domestic flights is 50 Baht and is paid for with the ticket

[eljeque]

5250 for a flight to Samui sounds steep.

I am paying 3450 to go to Singaore.

Maybe I am lucky.

You can park your own vehicle at the airport for 50 baht per day.

Utapao is a great little airport to get you out of Pattaya without having to go to Bangkok.

good luck

[rififi]

Thank you very much for your reply everybody.

[wilko]

5250 for a flight to Samui sounds steep.

I am paying 3450 to go to Singaore.

Maybe I am lucky.

You can park your own vehicle at the airport for 50 baht per day.

Utapao is a great little airport to get you out of Pattaya  without having to go to Bangkok.

good luck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bangkok Airways own the airport on Samui and have a monopoly on the place so the result is that they charge what they bloody well like until another airport is built. there is also a 500 baht charge at the airport when you leave.

an alternative is to fly to Surrathani and catch a ferry to Samui, about half the price but a lot more time.

Their fares to Phuket are more reasonable as they have competition on that route!

[astral]

You can park your own vehicle at the airport for 50 baht per day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How safe/secure does the car park look to be?

[wilko]

You can park your own vehicle at the airport for 50 baht per day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How safe/secure does the car park look to be?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Open air car park with a few trees around it, in full view of the terminal building and a sleepy security man on the exit...

remember though it it is on a miliary site, I can't imagine it is very unsafe to leave your car there.