14 10 year Plan to Increase Thailand’s Air Traffic Capacity The Department of Airports has launched a 10-year plan to increase the capacity of its airports, following anticipation of tourism growth as well as the lifting of restrictions imposed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The tourism industry in 2017 is estimated to have attracted no less than 35 million foreign tourists, bringing in approximately 2.76 trillion THB. Meanwhile, the ICAO has lifted its red flag on Thailand’s civil aviation industry. Various airlines, especially low-cost airlines, have expressed a desire to begin regional services under the supervision of the Department of Airports. As a result, the department is moving forward with a 10-year plan to invest 38 billion THB to increase the annual capacity of 28 airports to 30 million passengers in 2025 and 58 million by 2035. The Department’s goals include expanding air access, accommodating increased traffic, adhering to international standards and effective governance in order to make Thailand an aviation hub for the region.
A second Chiang Mai Airport has been endorsed however no plans for Hua Hin have been revealed.
The Cabinet has given a go-ahead for the construction of the second Chiang Mai international airport, either in San Kamphaeng district of Chiang Mai or in Ban Thi district of Lamphun, said government spokesman Lt-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd. The Cabinet mobile meeting in Sukhothai endorsed the Transport Ministry’s proposal to expand the current passenger’s terminal at Chiang Mai airport so that it will be able to accommodate up to 20 million passengers a year from the current 10 million passengers. The expanded terminal will also have the capacity to accommodate 34 flights per week from today’s 24 flights a week.
Government spokesman Lt-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd has announced significant airport development for Thailand however the future of Hua Hin Airport remains ‘off the table’ Lt-Gen Sansern said that new passenger’s terminal would also be built at Mae Sod, Phrae and Phetchabun airports whereas their runways would also be extended. Neither the 10 year Plan nor this Cabinet decision makes mention of any plans for the Hua Hin Airport which remains disconnected with the recent suspension of flights to Chiang Mai apart from any international flight approvals; much to the mystification of locals.
Book flights From Thailand 30 Days Ahead on a Saturday in November to Save
Asia-Pacific will drive demand for air travel over the next two decades, according to the 2018 Air Travel Outlook report produced by Expedia in collaboration with the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). Based on the International Air Transport Association’s 20-year air passenger forecast, air travel routes to, from and within Asia-Pacific will see an extra 2.1 billion annual passengers by 2036 - an average growth rate of 4.6%. China is expected to displace the US as the world’s largest aviation market by 2022, while India will overtake Britain, currently ranked fifth, by 2025, with Indonesia catching up by 2030. Thailand is anticipated to enter the
world’s top 10 largest aviation markets during the forecast period. For most air travelers, booking more than 30 days ahead of the departure date results in cheaper airfares. Booking on a Sunday for a departure on a Thursday or Friday is another way of finding good prices, the report said. Thailand is a notable exception to this trend. For Thailand, the lowest air ticket prices can be found when booking an international economy flight on a Saturday for departure on a Thursday. A similar phenomenon occurs in Australia, Sri Lanka and Singapore. In terms of the best months to book international economy travel, the lowest rates have historically been
found at these times: January for international economy travel from Japan; February for international economy travel from Indonesia; March for international economy travel from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore; November for international economy travel from South Korea and Thailand; and December for international economy travel from China. For most premium air travel (first and business class), booking more than 30 days ahead also tends to result in cheaper airfares. On average, the cheapest days to book these more expensive tickets are Saturday or Sunday for travel on a Friday or a Sunday. This is true across regions. The difference in the premiums paid for purchasing airfares on the most expensive day versus the cheapest day of week can range from 15% to 120% for international flights. This is likely driven by corporate travelers’ buying behaviour, as corporate travelers are less likely to book business travel on weekends when they are not at work, according to Expedia and ARC. June saw the highest prices for Australian and New Zealand travelers, while the months between April and September had the highest international travel premiums in most parts of Asia. For economy travel, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Taipei emerged as the top five hubs in Asia, with a majority of passengers originating from airports within the region. - Bangkok Post
Kui Buri Farmers Adjust to Life with Wild Jumbos
It’s a hard life for fruit farmers living close to a wildlife conservation area in Kui Buri district in Prauchap Khiri Khan, where they have to adapt to the frequent raids by wild elephants, which can quickly strip their crop bare. Amnat Permpoon has hastened to hire help harvesting the ripening pineapples at his farm at Ban Yan Sue, tambon Haad Kham, after three wild elephants came out of Kui Buri National Park to feast on the succulent fruit on five consecutive nights. The fruit in his 10 Rai orchard is beginning to ripen and the beasts are attracted by the sweet smell, he said. Pineapples don’t get any sweeter after they are picked so must be left to ripen on the plant, which leaves a very small gate between harvesting them and losing them to elephants. Amnat has 30 Rai close to the park but grows his pineapples on only 10 Rai, which he says produce around 30 tons of fruit annually, leaving the rest of the farm HUA HIN TODAY, February 2018
unplanted for good reason. “I am afraid that I cannot take care of anymore and fend off the wild elephants,” he said. Tambon Haad Kham is one of the several areas adjacent to the park frequently raided by the animals. The problem was spotlighted last week when a 20-year-old male elephant was found dead with rifle and shotgun wounds to the body. Police and local residents suspect angry farmers inflicted the wounds, but they are uncertain whether the animal was actually killed in the area, or shot elsewhere and made its way to the tambon before succumbing to the injuries. The investigation continues. - Bangkok Post