BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Airports has reported progress on the Phatthalung Airport Project after securing 42.69 million baht in funding for fiscal years 2026–2027 to support studies, detailed design work, and additional environmental assessments. The budget will be used to prepare designs for key facilities, including the runway, taxiways, aircraft apron, and related infrastructure, and to conduct further Environmental Impact Assessment work.
The project is being handled based on a feasibility study completed in 2021 and submitted to the Ministry of Transport in 2022. The study projected that, in its initial phase, the airport could serve more than 214,000 passengers annually and handle about 1,400 flights, indicating growing demand for air travel in Phatthalung and surrounding provinces.
The study’s economic analysis showed positive results, with an internal rate of return of 14.70 percent and a benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.26. These findings supported the project’s viability and its potential to drive regional tourism, logistics, and economic activity.
Preparatory work identified that the originally proposed airport site overlaps with land used by the Department of Rice as a rice research center. To avoid disruption to national rice research, Phatthalung Province has proposed securing an alternative site for the facility and has notified the Department of Airports, with the process of obtaining replacement land now underway.
The Department of Airports has continued to coordinate with central, provincial, and local agencies, as well as local administrative organizations, to gather stakeholder input. Officials said the current phase lays important groundwork to improve air connectivity in the lower South, reduce reliance on airports in other provinces, and support long-term economic growth in the region. (NNT)
