Announcing the reopening, Airports Department director-general Darun Saengchai said the floodwaters had been drained off. He continued by saying technicians had checked all the electrical systems, including the runway landing lights, and they were fully operational.
Engineers also utilised a deflectometer to ascertain whether the runway itself had been damaged or had subsided while it was under water. The closure of Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport was not a major inconvenience for travellers as airports at Suratthani and Krabi or even Hat Yai, Koh Samui and Phuket provide alternate entry points to the far south of Thailand.
The airport is 15kms from Nakhon Si Thammarat town centre. Nok Air, Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly here from Bangkok Don Mueang Airport with a combined total of more than 10 flights a day in each direction. 12GO ASIA says booking well in advance means flight tickets are likely to be comparable with those for buses or the train.
Floodwaters drained off and Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport reopens
News in Asia
Thailand’s Airports Department issued a statement yesterday confirming Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport had opened up again. The southern Thai airport was closed last Thursday when rising floodwater swamped the runway and essential electrical equipment.