Hua Hin Airport Aids Bangkok Airport Closures
Extra Flights Leave Thailand with Bangkok Airways
Dec 1, 2008
With queues that are long and tempers running high at U-tapao military airport just outside Thailand's Pattaya, a small ray of light in the current chaos is the addition of twice-daily flights from Hua Hin airport by privately-owned Bangkok Airways.
Leaving from Hua Hin Airport
Hua Hin airport, situated approximately 3 hours drive south from Bangkok normally services commuter shuttle flights from Bangkok to Hua Hin. However, according to the Nation newspaper's breaking news on December 2nd, 2008 “Bangkok Airways adds extra flights from Hua Hin to Singapore and Hong Kong” Bangkok airways will commence additional flights (via Koh Samui) from December 1st , 2008 from Hua Hin (via Samui) to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Bangkok Airway's press report outlines its addition of twice-daily flights from Hua Hin to Koh Samui, leaving at 14.00 and 17.00, which will connect with its Samui flights to Hong Kong and Singapore, later in the day, or the following morning.
All immigration formalities will be completed at Hua Hin airport before passengers take onward flights from Samui airport, out of Thailand.
For details of their up-to-the-minute flight schedule go to the Bangkok Airways site. Alternativley for more information call the airline on 1771 or (+66) 02 265 8777.
For its Bangkok-based passengers there is a complimentary transfer service from the Bangkok Airways main office at 99 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, down to Hua Hin. The bus leaves 4 hours before each departure time.
Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways Co Ltd is already operating flights out of U-tapao to Koh Samui, Phuket, Siem Reap, the Maldives and Guilin. It is a privately owned airline, which first began its operations in 1986 as the country’s first official privately-owned domestic airline. It now services 8 domestic destinations and 13 international, with its fleet of 17 aircraft. The airline invests in building and maintaining privately-owned airports, of which Koh Samui is one.
About Hua Hin
Hua Hin has a reputation for being an upmarket tourist resort which caters mainly for families, and consequently has a number of five-star hotels and international restaurants. Its large stretches of unspoilt beaches, especially in the surrounding areas, offers a weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Many Thais have holiday homes here too.
The world famous Chiva Som Spa is based in Hua Hin, along with the Sofitel Hotel, (the original Railway Hotel) used in the film The Killing Fields, which masqueraded as the The Hotel Pnom Phen.
Once a small fishing village, in the last 5 years Hua Hin has seen major changes, with a huge property boom, improved infrastructure, and the opening of a large shopping mall. It is also the home of the much revered Thai Royal Family. Given its comfortable communting distance to Bangkok, (a distance of around 200 kilometers) and superb golfing facilities, the town has a large (often retired) Western expat community.
Getting Out of Thailand
Currently an estimated 240,000 travelers are waiting to get out. of Thailand. The old military airport of U-tapao is coping with around 40 flights per day (its maximum capacity) but has minimal facilities. The release of 88 planes from Bangkok’s Subarnavumi airport closures has eased the situation somewhat, enabling some airlines to fly in to get passengers out. However, due to its limited capacity to cope with aircraft and passenger volume (there is a single runway, one security scanner and no announcement boards) progress is understandably slow.
Phuket International Airport (around a 12-hour bus trip from Bangkok) remains open but there is a waiting list for outbound flights. This airport is fully equipt to deal with many tourist flights as Phuket is a key tourist destination within the region.
Alternative ways out of the country going south from Bangkok are to cross the border by road or train at Hat Yai into Malaysia, or the lesser known border crossing from Saturn to Langawi and then to travel onwards to mainland Malaysia or Singapore.
