New airport in Phang Nga

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is to request a 1.3 billion baht budget from the new Cabinet to fund construction of an airport in Phang Nga province.

The plans have already been drawn up for the building of an airport, which would cover about 1,400 rai on Koh Khao; an island in Takuapa district.

The DCA will submit the plans to the government, along with the results of very promising public opinion surveys.

Now that the public surveys showing support for the airport have been collected by the DCA, they are able to ask the government for funding; according to the chief of Phang Nga Governor’s Office, Khun Sakon Chaowananont.

The current plans on the table will see a domestic airport able to accommodate jet aircraft as large as Boeing 737s.

While getting to the region from Phuket is already straightforward enough by road, the new airport will focus on the need for tourists to travel to the likes of Khao Lak, Takuapa and the Similan islands, as a better alternative to Phuket International Airport.

The new airport would help support tourism growth in the Andaman region, said Khun Sakon.

Traveling to Phuket