PHOTO: Chiang Rai Airport – mychiangmaitravel.com
Chiang Rai’s International Airport just isn’t slated for closure, according to Thailand’s Transport Minister. Odd got here after Airports of Thailand’s president introduced on Monday October 28 that AOT was ‘considering’ closing Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports, throwing media, and the staff at the two airports, into a spin.
The minister has advised The Nation that AOT “has no plans to shut or downgrade any airport in Thailand, together with those in Chiang Rai and Hat Yai.” He says there is no change to the deliberate growth of six airports.
The press reviews concerning the deliberate closure of Hat Yai International Airport in Songkhla province and Chiang Rai International Airport were “just misinterpretation,” AOT’s president informed The Nation, adding that the actual message is that the high-speed prepare challenge might result in fewer travellers for both airports.
“The AOT will draw up a flexible plan to deal with the development.”
Passenger numbers at most airports, except Chiang Rai International Airport, are far above capacity. The Chiang Mai Airport serves eleven.32 million travellers annually regardless of capacity of simply eight million, and Phuket Airport, with capacity of 12.5 million, is struggling now with 17.85 million, and growing. Hat Yai Airport is serving four.03 million passengers a year, and has simply 2.5 million in capability.
More than sixty four million people have passed by way of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport so far this year, with a capability of forty five million, and its secondary Dong Mueang Airport has served over forty one million regardless of capacity of solely 30 million.
Chiang Rai’s airport is doing higher with 2.95 million, a bit below its full current capability of three million pax. These six airports have a mixed total capacity of a hundred and one million passengers, which is expected to rise to 186 million by 2024, according to the transport minister, who additionally said that he has requested that AOT collaborate with related organisations to enhance the immigration process, using electronic e-visas to reduce density at checkpoints, offering comfort for vacationers and enhanced efficiency.
SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times