New International Airport to be Built in Lamphun

[Sharchen]

Ideally, a new airport to replace CNX would be built between Chiang Mai and Lamphun. Then you could redevelop that valuable land and dramatically ease traffic congestion caused by routing issues (especially given the military base, which needs to be moved too). But that doesn't seem to be in the cards. Also, I used to live in Hillside 3 and the Thai Airways Boeing 777 to Bangkok would rattle the building.

So if it's going to be two airports, the new one has to be far-enough away from the existing one not to cause air traffic issues, hence Lamphun. Hopefully they will re-designate CNX only fit for smaller planes. 777s are too much!

[wabothai]

Consider this, if you can't build new military airports, what a better disguise than an international airport? Folks, it's all smoke and mirrors. Of course, I'm a stupid farang, what the hell do I know?

exactly my thoughts.

[Chicog]

The Lamphun governor is dreaming.

..... of how much money he can make.

[eddie61]

someone's gonna make some money, but it won't be tax payers or airlines...

Flight TG xxx from Shanghai to Lamphun anyone?

but Thailand is where white elephants were invented................

[aslimversgwm]

...so we will have one airport capable of wide bodies and 34 flights per hour, plus another airport just 70 km away that will be able to accommodate A380s?

Exactly what is 70 Km away?

Chiang Mai Airport is 70 km away from the proposed Lamphun Airport site.

Or should I say Lampoon Airport?

No it isn't. CM city centre is about 30 kms from Lamphun town centre. CNX is roughly south of CM city centre and Ban Thi is roughly north of Lamphun town centre, making it about 20kms away from each other!

[bubba]

...so we will have one airport capable of wide bodies and 34 flights per hour, plus another airport just 70 km away that will be able to accommodate A380s?

Exactly what is 70 Km away?

Chiang Mai Airport is 70 km away from the proposed Lamphun Airport site.

Or should I say Lampoon Airport?

No it isn't. CM city centre is about 30 kms from Lamphun town centre. CNX is roughly south of CM city centre and Ban Thi is roughly north of Lamphun town centre, making it about 20kms away from each other!

OK, sorry about that. I was going by the comment that was posted below the article given in the link.

[mgjackson69]

The headline says "New International Airport to be Built in Lamphun".

The last line of the article: "The new airport, if given the go ahead,..."

Another piece of excellent journalism.

[arithai12]

I don't see a need for a new airport. Who wants to go to Lamphun - touristwise?

(almost) No one wants to go to Lamphun, just as no one wants to go to Suvarnabhumi.

I don't care too much where they build it and who gains from it, but please hurry.

[swerver]

...so we will have one airport capable of wide bodies and 34 flights per hour, plus another airport just 70 km away that will be able to accommodate A380s?

A-380 for the North of Thailand??? Please let me know which airline is hallucinating to fly such a behemoth capital investment in to the North of Thailand???

Thai must haven taken up the "American Dream" which also to see it you must be asleep.

Well there is one good thing, the North is not swampland so they can't make that F@#$-up.

[ZAKY]

Why?

[ZAKY]

May be because of the Kunming link, the fast train from Kunming thru laos, thailand, malaysia & Singapore, there will be many stations and shopping malls all along. The Lamphun Might become a big centre and the airport is certainly for this purpose.

[DrTuner]

There goes that neighborhood.

[F4UCorsair]

This sounds very much like Sydney's second international airport, on and off for 20+ years.

Somebody does own the land, wherever it will be located, it will be expensive, and it would be a fair bet that the owner/s could well be politicians and/or their families.

Edited April 27, 2016 by F4UCorsair

[NancyL]

Aren't there a number of industrial estates in Lamphun, making products in some sort of free-trade zone, destined for export to Japan, Korea, someplace in this area? I'm not totally up-to-speed on this, but some of these Japanese guys in my condo don't look like they're going off to play golf early in the morning. I think they're going down to Lamphun to managerial jobs in factories. Wouldn't they just love having an airport close to their factories to ship the stuff they make off to their markets?

[Muzarella]

Lamphun????? ..just 45 minutes from Chiang Mai and Lampang????... plus the Bullet Train?....plus ????? How about water management projects? Dams and Channels? The Phayao Lake is totally dry for first time in centuries..... Bangkok is drowning.... Farmers are bankrupt...

Edited April 27, 2016 by Muzarella

[bazza40]

...so we will have one airport capable of wide bodies and 34 flights per hour, plus another airport just 70 km away that will be able to accommodate A380s?

It makes no sense because the international airlines use Bangkok, KL or Singapore as a hub for their large aircraft. Perhaps they are hoping if they build it, the Chinese will come.

[Redline]

But, what about fixing the runways at Swampy? What about the problem with Thai aviation? 3.4 million dogs with rabies? The roads falling apart? All the trains to build? Expansion at all the airports? The rising crime, and rising driving deaths? The rising boat accidents, and the illegal fishing and slave labor? The trash....

STOP AND FOCUS!!

[ovenman]

The same article says that the Lampang airport also will be expanded to accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 380 aircraft. While the Lampang news might be workable for the small 737, there is no way their airport or runways could handle the load of an Airbus 380 (plus, why would there ever be a need to land that behemouth in Lampang?!?).

I am guessing that Lampang airport would be designated as an alternate for Chiang Mai if an A380 flight needed to be diverted, hence the need to upgrade that runway.

[bubba]

The same article says that the Lampang airport also will be expanded to accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 380 aircraft. While the Lampang news might be workable for the small 737, there is no way their airport or runways could handle the load of an Airbus 380 (plus, why would there ever be a need to land that behemouth in Lampang?!?).

I am guessing that Lampang airport would be designated as an alternate for Chiang Mai if an A380 flight needed to be diverted, hence the need to upgrade that runway.

There is already an airport available for any flights, including A380s, that might need to divert from CNX. It's called BKK.

[Johpa]

BTW should Mae Rim decide to open its own airport, my garden is available.

There are already two small airports in the traffic bottleneck known as Mae Rim, one run by the army and one run by the BPP.

[Foexie]

Hmm - I seem to remember Spain building lots of international airports.

I can't recall - did that end well or not

Nope thet didn't went well at all in Spain http://www.ozy.com/acumen/spains-ghost-airports-a-national-embarrassment/33041

I find it weird that they will build such a big new airport with in 1h driving from CM. Maybe wanna close the airport from CM in time.

Like this Chiang Rai could/would profit more from more travellers from those who live higher in the North of CM and Lamphang provinces and Phayao. Because now for them CR is more near.

[Mitker]

The original paper has a problem

"Lampang Governor (...) clarified that Lampang was chosen not to have a new international airport as it was too far away from Chiang Mai, so the plans were moved to Lamphun.

The new airport, if given the go ahead, will be called the Queen Jammathewi New International Airport, and will built in the Ban Thi area of Lamphun.

Lampang’s current airport will also be developed to receive more flights and accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus A380 aircraft.

The Queen Jammathewi New International Airport will be 70 kilometres from Chiang Mai (...)"

So,

Lampang airport would be extended

A new airport would be built in Ban Thi, Lamphun called "Queen Jammathewi International Airport"

This new airport can't be located 70km from CM since Ban Thi is a mere 25-30 km from CM center

Probably confusing with the distance to Lampang airport

[arunsakda]

It did sound a little far.

[khwaibah]

...so we will have one airport capable of wide bodies and 34 flights per hour, plus another airport just 70 km away that will be able to accommodate A380s?

Exactly what is 70 Km away?

Chiang Mai Airport is 70 km away from the proposed Lamphun Airport site.

Or should I say Lampoon Airport?

Your both wrong its only 20 km to the new proposed sit and 25 km to the existing Lamphun airport.

[chiang mai]

BTW should Mae Rim decide to open its own airport, my garden is available.

There are already two small airports in the traffic bottleneck known as Mae Rim, one run by the army and one run by the BPP.

And neither have commercial flights anywhere.

[rodcourt49]

I don't see a need for a new airport. Who wants to go to Lamphun - touristwise?

..perhaps the most ancient of villages in all of Thailand with several historical national treasures and business hub...and only 24km ..30-40 minutes from Chiang Mai city...major dual carriageway and railway line ..makes a lot of sense IMO.

Edited April 28, 2016 by rodcourt49

[Thailand]

And there is a new road being built from the 121 ring road,currently being redeveloped in to dual carriageway, down to Lamphun.

Starting to make sense.

[connda]

I don't see a need for a new airport. Who wants to go to Lamphun - touristwise?

Banti is in Lamphun province and is directly South East of Chiang Mai. It makes sense in that this area is primarily farm land and not too populated. Highway 1317, if extended, would probably run right into the proposed airport. I'm not thinking that is a heavily travelled road, although I could be wrong. I've taken day trips out that direction on my bike by I don't live out there. However, this is sort of like the airport that was built in Korat. 30 to 35 km outside of the city center, and a general pain in the behind to get to. Yeah, this would be a wet dream come true for whomever would pay the most for a transportation monopoly. But as a traveller, I'd avoid it like the plague.

[Sparkles]

The new International airport in Hanoi ,Noi Bai, opened in 2014, its 45 km from the city centre.

Its not how far it is, its how how well you can service the link ie light rail,new highway etc.

Thai Airways fly there. The old Airport was a long way from the city too but the highways back then, 20 or so years ago, were pretty devoid of cars.

Lamphun makes perfect sense to me. Relying on CM for the future doesn't.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Sparkles

[DLock]

I don't care where they build a new airport.

But the current airport parking is maxxed out and somedays you can drive around for 30 minutes to get a parking spot and hope when you come back some dick hasn't parked behind you and left his handbrake on.

It's only going to get worse. Put the prices up, build a park and drive, limit the long term Chinese parking there...but do something....quick.