How many Thai airports have you used?

[jpatokal]

ncr, I beat you to it :p

For reference, here's the CIA World Factbook data from 1999:

Airports - with paved runways
total: 56
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)

There are also ~50 unpaved runways, and I'd like to hear from any 2bkk'er who's been to any!

[jpatokal]

And because I know y'all are just dying to know, I can clock up BKK, CNX, KBV, HKT, UBP, USM and UTH -- a measly 7.

[ncr]

ncr, I beat you to it :pWho else? ;) You are our aviation expert, after all.

But that's alright. I don't have to make all the polls on this forum, do I? And well done, jpatokal. I mean, the selectable answers are really well thought out and entertaining....

So for once we are level! [edit 23/04/07: I proudly add Suvarnabhumi and Ubon, which makes it 9.]
My tally: BKK, CNX, CEI, DMK, HKT, HDY, KKC, KOP, UBP. (Anyone know what KOP is? :D )

BTW: You haven't been to Hat Yai???

[von Hirschhorn]

The Thai airport list: here my result.:mad:

1) Bangkok – BKK [Don Muang]
2) Bangkok - BKK [Suvarnabumi]
3) Chiang Mai – CNX [International]
4) Chiang Rai – CEI [old airport]
5) Chiang Rai – CEI [new airport]
6) Hat Yai – HDY
7) Hua Hin – HHQ
8) Khon Kaen – KKC
9) Nakhon Lampang – LPT
10) Mae Hong Son – HGW
11) Mae Sot – MAQ
12) Narathiwat – NAW
13) Nan – NNT
14) Pattaya – PYX *
15) Phitsanulok – PHS
16) Phrae – PRH
17) Phuket – HKT
18) Rayong – UTP
19) Sakon Nakhon – SNO
20) Sukhothai – THS
21) Tak – TKT
22) Ubon Ratchathani – UBP
23) Udon Thani – UTH

* Nr 13 PYX (Pattaya) not a real airfield but water plane service by Yellowbirds – TSA = Tropical Sea Airlines. My flight: BN 127 (BKK-PYX) on 11.05.1991 plane: HS-TPA Shuttle service from landing spot to shore first by small rubber boat and second bigger boat as sailing terminal building.

[von Hirschhorn]

KOP = Nakhon Phanom

[GWR]

Anyone know the current status of the Pattani and Satun airfields?

Has anyone here had the rare distinction of having flown into Songkhla airfield before the transfer to Hat-Yai International?

I believe there is also an airfield in Betong. It's certainly marked on some maps. I imagine that like Pattani and Satun, it is only used for VIPs. Pattani used to have Thai Airways flights until the mid 90s.

Got a funny story about Songkhla. A friend was once offered a free flight to Bangkok on a small Navy plane. He arrived at the plane, took one look at it and refused to go; pointing out that one of the wheels was obviously loose. After about 20 minutes hammer-banging, the mechanic reported that the plane was in a fit state to fly.

[von Hirschhorn]

Funny stories about Thai flying, the following is more particular.
The good old days of TAC, flying the Northern routes with their shorts was far from short. Flying by sight and haze often forced the plane to wait. One day while waiting the pilot orders us to follow him to the terminal and take a cup of coffee or so. We all seated in the further deserted waiting lounge, disembarking passengers long gone and check in already proceeded, staff busy with other things. After a certain time the pilot said: “ok guys lets try to take off again.” Like mother goose we follow the man to the plane without any formality. He slammed the door, walked to his seat, left the cockpit door open and took off. I must admit, I did a lot of flying but this experience beat it. Unfortunate today things are different although walking the tarmac on smaller airfields still has the atmosphere of real flying.

[ncr]

The Thai airport list: here my result.:mad:That's an impressive list. Why the angry face?
And why you didn't vote in the poll? Or didn't you count one of the Chiang Rais and Pattaya, thus arriving at 20 "only"?

Nr 13 PYX (Pattaya) not a real airfield but water plane service by Yellowbirds – TSA = Tropical Sea Airlines. My flight: BN 127 (BKK-PYX) on 11.05.1991 plane: HS-TPA Shuttle service from landing spot to shore first by small rubber boat and second bigger boat as sailing terminal building.I also saw the "PYX" code mentioned before. Any company still operating a similar service???

[The Enforcer!]

The old Chiang Rai in 1988 was bit wobbly!

The Enforcer!

[von Hirschhorn]

Why the angry face?

The face is not angry at all but ‘mad’ in the sense of healthy crazy. Yes, I vote the 11-20 option and some unusual ones for the latter and not the number. Unfortunate I cannot vote again or double. Is not that important the thread itself will do.
As far as I am informed on the moment there are no similar flight operations. Yellowbirds did not managed much and soon suspended operations. We have to wait until one or another retired - or thinking to start a profit making business - general will start a new operation. For sure I’ll check in, hopefully it will be a new destination.

[GWR]

It seems Betong has plans to develop its 1.5 Km military airstrip into a small international airport.

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=10359&postcount=2

[von Hirschhorn]

Wonderful; a new target for the Muslim separatists in the South but moreover to extend the poll. Maybe we can poll the airfields in the neighbouring countries as well!

Post Scriptum: someone else may do this, I have no idea how the poll mechanism is working or how to get it in a new thread.

[Yappofloyd]

Missed this poll.... 8 for me BKK, CNX, CEI. HDY, UTH, HGW, HKT & PHS.

Now that the new airport is open I wonder if someone will get a flight to/from DMG in the next year or so?

[ncr]

I have 8 now......
just added Suvarnabhumi to my collection last Monday.

Need to correct you again, Khun Yappofloyd: Don Muang is DMK (http://gc.kls2.com/airport/DMK). ;) As a synopsis, the respective IATA/ICAO codes are as follows:

Don Muang:

old -> BKK / VTBD
new -> DMK / VTBD

Suvarnabhumi:

old -> NBK / VTBS
new -> BKK / VTBS