Work starts to transform Phuket into regional aviation hub

PHUKET : Work has started to transform the airport on Thailand's Phuket resort island into a regional aviation hub.

Director of the Phuket Airport Boonchat Promphun says work is now underway to extend the passenger terminal, with work expected to be completed by the end of this year.

However, studies are still being conducted on the environmental impact of extending the airport's runways, and plans to expand the airport's cargo operations have run into difficulties.

A proposal has been made to extend the runway by 300 metres to accommodate flights from Europe.

In the future, the runway could also be extended to 3,600-3,900 metres to accommodate direct flights from the US.

Boonchat refused to put a figure on the budget for the operations, which are designed to see Phuket transformed into a regional aviation hub, saying that he could not estimate the costs until engineering studies had been completed.-CNA

--CNA 2004-02-05

The first move that was made to transform Chiang Mai International Airport into another regional aviation hub was to add a thrice-weekly non-stop flight on the ever popular Chiang Mai - Chittagong, Bangladesh route. I wonder if the THAI pooyai have something equally ingenious planned for Phuket?