We can only speculate when Koh Phangan airport will be finished. Kan Air, who are currently building Koh Phangan Airport, have recently added two new services to its growing list of scheduled flights. On the 7th December it then flew on to Khon Kaen, and on 10th December it made the last leg of its journey to Udon Ratchathani. The pleasure city of Pattaya is only 40 km away. It is unwise to speculate but it is also perhaps premature to completely dismiss the possibility of an airport being built on Koh Phangan. The train and ferry is the best option is you arriving on a long haul to Thailand. If the green light was given on the land status and construction was allowed to recommence then money might be found from either Thailand or abroad. Flights can be extremely expensive, particularly during peak season and surrounding the Full Moon parties so we suggest booking well in advance. It is a clear statement of intent by the company that they wish to become a major player in the lucrative internal flight market in Thailand. Sep-2016. infringed on 32,000sqm of Than Sadet-Koh Phangan National Park land. Sep-2013. There is firm talk of one or more major new luxury resorts on the East Coast of Koh Phangan, and not in Thong Nai Pan for a change. Booking flights with Skyscanner is simple, fast and best of all free to use! Koh Samui was probably a very different place back in the days before it had an airport. Each profile offers comprehensive news and analysis, as well as the ability to drill down into data on schedules, capacity share, fleet, traffic, financial results and more. This means offering internal flights that don’t involve the two big airports in Bangkok – Don Mueng and Suvarnabhumi. The plan is to ‘think outside the box’. Closest. Ko Pha Ngan – Airports nearby. This is all part of the over-arching strategy of Kan Air to consolidate and increase it network of services and fleet of aircraft in advance of the opening of Koh Phangan airport. The Lomprayah High Speed Ferry Service is the most popular transport provider for the Koh Phangan to Surat Thani Airport and they often sell out of tickets in advance of the day of travel. 4.6. As well as using Chiang Mai Airport they are now also using U-Tapao. This is the biggest plus point for me. The average tourist to the region is probably familiar with Thong Nai Pan and its luxury hotels; they have probably heard about Than Sadet and its royal connections; but probably much of the rest of the area is an unknown quantity. The journey takes around 50 minutes to reach the Buddha pier on the island of Koh Samui. This is a major commercial step forward for Kan Air. 06-Sep-2016. 13:45. Not only is their portfolio of scheduled services increased but it also includes important tourist hubs such as Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. Opposition to an airport in Koh Phangan, a mountainous, beach-fringed island in the Gulf of Thailand, can be traced back to May 2004. Kan Air secured the plane on lease from Singapore’s Nordic Aviation Capital Pte company. They are expecting the flat one way fare to be 990 Thai Baht. In 2015 work on Koh Phangan Airport came to a halt. The expanding route itinerary allows financial capacity for completing Koh Phangan Airport as well as sourcing suitable airplanes to make the route between Koh Phangan east coast and Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport. The majority of the work is at the moment being carried out by a local contractor from Thong Nai Pan Yai, whose invaluable experience creating the roads on the island is being put to good use on this project. All rights reserved. CAPA Membership also gives you access to a customised selection of more than 400 global News Briefs every weekday, as well as a comprehensive Data Centre, Analysis Reports and Research Publications. They might still be, but until the airport is completed, it makes business sense to maximise revenue from existing assets. Those low-cost carriers that can join up the dots throughout the rest of the country will benefit as the Thai economy grows. A new bit of information is that Kannithi Air plans to open up the airport not just for Kan Air flights but also for other airlines. The same company will lease a further plane in the next few months. I’d hate to think of Koh Phangan turning into a mini Benidorm with lots of high-rise hotels and shopping centres being built there in future.. that’s a horrible thought! As yet, it looks like little concrete has been poured. So far the airport has cost Kan Air 500 million Thai Baht. The authorities are often slow to clear the land, and sometimes have a de facto rather than de jure approach to public land management. Our full profiles are only available to CAPA Members. The flight to Hua Hin departs at 0900 and arrives at 1030. the Koh Phangan airport is already six months under construction and looks to be ready for the second half of 2013 National Park land in Thailand has been encroached on before. The airport will feature a 1095m runway capable of handling ATR 72-600 series turboprops and a passenger terminal designed to accommodate 600,000 passengers p/a. The article states that this will speed up completion of the airport. The estimated total bill for the airport construction is to be 1 billion Baht. Kan Air estimated Koh Phangan Airport development costs have doubled from THB900 million (USD25 million) to THB2 billion (USD57 million) . The two new scheduled flights will join existing flights from Chiang Mai to Pai, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen. You can see the footage above. That route has become a cash cow for the 45-year-old airline, which built Koh Samui airport in 1989 and helped to put the island on the world’s tourism map. Kannithi Aviation that runs Kan Air has told the newspaper that ideally they want a soft loan from foreign financiers. The rocky area shown in the second photograph is where the terminal buildings will start, continuing to the area to the right of the picture. You can also take a train and ferry. Southern private business owner Somphong Sooksanguan who owns Kan Air and part owns VietJet Air and is now planning on spending THB 900 million (US$ 28.1 million) building a brand new airport in Koh Phangan. Not only was the project coming in over budget but also legal difficulties were preventing the vital transport hub from being completed. Oct-2015. 3h 45m Bus+ferry. Now that Kan Air has leased 2 more planes (ATR 72-500 Turbo Props) they are able to operate flights from U-Tapao every other day to Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani. Hotels are already running at 40% capacity. The airport is the biggest aviation project the company has so far entered into. Even before it is built the airport is leading to local economic expansion, and this is set to continue with Koh Phangan fast on track to compete with neighbouring island Koh Samui both in terms of facilities and tourist numbers. The most likely candidates are Bottle Beach and Haad Yao (East) both within a 10 minute drive of the new airport. Finally, the latest claim for a completion date is ‘year-end’. eTicket Instant Refundable Fastest. 2+ Book now eTicket Instant Refundable. 6h 45m Bus+ferry. Frequently asked questions. The large flat area you can see in the third picture marks the far end of the runway, and beside which will sit the aircraft hangar. Pro’s. 20:30. Completion is still some way off, but excitement about the new airport is growing on Koh Phangan. The land is being levelled in preparation of the laying of the runway and laying of foundations for the terminal buildings. You can fly via Surat Thani or Koh Samui. It doesn’t have a convenient rail link (there is one but not close and often the trains are 90 minutes apart), and it has less amenities and facilities. Not only was the project coming in over budget but also legal difficulties were preventing the vital transport hub from being completed. He has kindly put his video footage on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZtDDlhsc64). As does lack of funds – Kan Air were looking for partners in the project in order to get a boost of funds. The constitution was re-written a few years ago to favour the military and legitimise its position. Find cheap flights to Koh Phangan Airport with Skyscanner. These obstacles have been overcome and full service is soon set to resume. On 5th September the Bangkok Post published an online article entitled, ‘Koh Phangan Airport Developer Seeks Loans‘. Surat Thani Airport. 2. You can take a bus and ferry. It flew from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son. The first announcements claimed that ATR 72 Turboprops would be used. Judging by the size of the trucks and builders’ huts on the ground, the area cleared clearly looks large enough to hold a runway as well as airport buildings. On the other hand, the video does show that work is on-going, and that the airport is feasible as an engineering project. The company have managed the situation well. Florenz Kittel, who has a business taking aerial videos, visited the site of Koh Phangan Airport in January 2015 to fly his drone over the site. The latest news released by Kan Air to the Bangkok Post has revived hopes that the airport will eventually be completed and the … 4.3. From Koh Samui it is possible to catch a regular ferry to Koh Phangan. Kan Air, a Thai regional airline, is currently in the process of developing a domestic airport on the island. It provides capacity for those going to Phuket as well as Pattaya. The distinction between foreign and Thai finance is to do with the lower interest rates charged by non- Thai financiers. The development is managed by Kan Air. From Surat Thani Airport to Koh Phangan by bus and ferry. 14:45. Although slow, there had been continuous progress on the project since the 2012 inception of Kan Air’s plan to build an airport on the island of Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. On July 20th permission was given to Kan Air to continue flights from U-tapao Airport as scheduled rather than chartered flights. For over two years there hasn’t been any work done on Koh Phangan Airport. The introductory price for one-way flights will be 990 Thai Baht. The return flight leaves at 1100 and arrives at 1230. There is none of the clever zonal air-con or the same large selection of shops and restaurants. This is the only airport close by. Tickets were for wholesale purchase only. Obviously before the peak season around Christmas and New Year 2012 would make commercial sense. New routes are online and the commercial basis of the company looks secure. As a result Kan Air is now allowed to offer scheduled flights from U-tapao to Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Hat Yai. Kan Air announced a new strategy this month in the wake of splitting with Thai VietJet Air (TVJA). Thong Sala Koh Phangan . Surat Thani Deputy Governor Ouaychai Innak said the government has organised three panels to investigate the origin of the land permits provided by Kan Air. Koh Phangan, with an overall area of 167sqkm, is Thailand’s fifth biggest island. Copyright © 2021. Original estimates for costs to build Koh Phangan Airport were 900 million Thai Baht. Koh Phangan (KXJ) Arrivals and Departures Board. The law is not an insuperable obstacle in Thailand. The latest news released by Kan Air to the Bangkok Post has revived hopes that the airport will eventually be completed and the dream of being able to fly directly to Koh Phangan is now back on. It can carry 6 passengers. On April 10th, 2015 the airline started running services between U-tapao and Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport. This handles around one million passengers a year and has a good choice of services, including shops and a VIP lounge. Seatran Ferry from Bangrak Pier, is also going to Koh Phangan and you can get a cab at the airport to the pier of Bangrak, get the Ferry to Koh Phangan The airline president Somphong Sooksanguan explained foreign loans have a lower interest rate of 2% p/a, compared to the 7% rate by local banks. However, no evidence is provided as to why joint ventures lead to delays. Find all the transport options for your trip from Koh Phangan to Surat Thani Airport (URT) right here. You seem to have JavaScript disabled in your browser. Permission was granted for chartered flights. The journey from Suvarnabhumi International Airport (the main airport in Bangkok) to Koh Phangan (location of the Full Moon Party) can be done in a variety of ways. If they did then they would have noted that the most recent statement regarding the type of aircraft to be used has changed again. The video clip also shows that alot of work has been done levelling the ground to make it suitable for building. Now it claims that this is a potential stumbling block for the project. Located halfway between the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Tao it is known as a land of coconut trees and the world (in)famous full moon parties. This illegal state of affairs remains an impasse. Kan Air runs a number of flight services from the naval airbase of U-tapao in Rayong Province. The area had been cleared and much of the land for the runway had been flattened and prepared for the first concrete pour. At this time, three years after rumours surfaced that an airport was planned on the island, reporters for Koh Phangan Island News spotted three protest signs on trees along the west coast between the villages of and Srithanu and Wok Yum. From Haad Rin Queen Ferry: 10:30am 13:00pm 16:00pm 18:30pm. Mr Somphong, president of Kannithi Aviation Co, operator of Kan Air, told the Bangkok Post differences in management styles led Kan Air to offloading its 51% shares in the budget carrier which has been plagued with delays in starting up. Contracts are also under negotiation for several new villa projects in Thong Nai Pan, the main town on the East Coast. It is very much a fledgling carrier looking to emulate the success of Bangkok Airways. Find all the transport options for your trip from Phuket Airport (HKT) to Koh Phangan right here. You can also choose from our range of premium add-ons, including MRO Matrix, Route Maps, Fleet Data and more. Flights will start on August 15th, 2014. Nearly all the flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui are operated by Bangkok Airways. 5 by ferry+Bus from Koh Phangan to Surat Thani Airport starting from 07:00 Thong Sala Koh Phangan until 12:30 Thong … Besides can you start clearing the land and grading it before the impact assessment has given the all clear? Kan Air intends to operate twice daily Bangkok-Koh Phangan service  once the airport is complete. The airport is roughly 2 km north of the main city and largest resort centre on the island, Chaweng. It is an Italian-French made plane. 11:00. In 2015 work on Koh Phangan Airport came to a halt. Located 70km from the mainland and just 12km from Koh Samui, Phangan does not have an airport and relies heavily on ferries from the mainland and Koh Samui.Predominantly made up of granite, Koh Pha The runway will go along the back of this area. Construction is expected to commence in late 2016 and complete in late 2017. This split has led to a change in business strategy for Kan Air. Further reading: www.bangkokboutiquehotel.info/blog/don-muang-revisited/. COVID-19 travel restrictions are changing fast, but we're here to help you find the advice you need. There are mini bus services linking the airport with major tourist destinations. They want to add two single aisle jets as well as Airbus 320 to their growing fleet. Airport construction is now fully under way. The majority of this website will not function as intended without JavaScript enabled. In 2015 that slow progress came to a permanent halt when government officials discovered that a 20-Rai section of the airport infringed on Than Sadet National Park. Koh Phangan Airport is a new airport currently under construction on Thailand's Koh Phangan Island. Travel Times from Koh Phangan to Surat Thani Airport: Koh Phangan: Airport: 05:00: 10:40: 08:00: 12:40: 10:30: 15:10: 12:30: 17.10: Option 3: Lomprayah Ferry. These were temporarily suspended for legal reasons. Koh Phangan Airport Developer Seeks Loans, http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism/498501/sky-the-limit-for-kan-air, www.bangkokboutiquehotel.info/blog/don-muang-revisited/. This airport was closed when Suvarnabhumi was opened but re-opened a few years ago to cope with the congestion at the new airport. All connections guaranteed . All connections guaranteed . There is currently no airport on Koh Phangan. Kan Air announced fares will start at 2,900 Thai Baht inclusive of all taxes for a one-way fare to either Ubon Ratchathani or Hua Hin. The other route is between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. Kan Air estimate they need 1.5 Billion more Thai Baht to get the job done. This means the possibility of more scheduled flights and possibly scheduled flights to destinations other than just Bangkok. Mr Somphong said VietJet Air expressed interest in entering a JV to develop the airport. Until recently Kan Air was in partnership with TVJA to develop international air routes across South East Asia. Don Muang Airport (also spelt ‘Don Mueng’) was replaced by Suvarnabhumi because it was too small to deal with the rising numbers of tourists arriving in Thailand. This obviously indicates that the airport completion is clearly at least 12 months away, if not longer. This idea has been abandoned and the plan is now again to use 2 ATR 72 Turbo props according to a post on the Bangkok Post dated 1st July, 2014. Distance from Samui Airport to Ko Pha Ngan is 14.7 miles / 23.7 kilometers. Work continues on Koh Phangan Airport. Construction has been suspended, amid reports the development infringed on 32,000sqm of Than Sadet-Koh Phangan National Park land. The new routes are both from Chiang Mai where the airline is based. On average, 3-star hotels on Koh Phangan cost £39 per night, and 4-star hotels on Koh Phangan are £68 per night. The closest airport to Koh Phangan is Samui International Airport, which is located on nearby Koh Samui. A new airport on Koh Phangan island may be operational by Sep-2014. Check the status of your domestic or international Koh Phangan (KXJ) flight with the help of our live arrivals and departures board. It is advisable to check the schedule online before going, as the dates may change to cater to certain Buddhist holidays. Getting to Koh Phangan can be a tricky process depending on where you’re coming from. Upon arrival in Koh Samui, you will then take a ferry bound for Koh Phangan. The U-Tapao Airport is of importance as a key travel hub for the area. Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan Two Week Itinerary- Quick Travel Guide March 28, 2021 March 29, 2021 ~ To the airport and beyond ~ 1 Comment Located in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Kho Phangan are three of the most popular islands for travellers while in Thailand. It is a navy-owned airstrip in Rayong Province. Samui International Airport (Thai: ท่าอากาศยานสมุย) (IATA: USM, ICAO: VTSM), also known as Ko Samui Airport or Koh Samui Airport, is a privately owned airport on the island of Ko Samui (Koh Samui) in Thailand. The ATR is the world’ bestselling commercial turbo prop plane. Koh Phangan Airport is a new airport currently under construction on Thailand's Koh Phangan Island. The lead is about the search for an injection of cash to complete Koh Phangan Airport. The Bangkok Post claims that the work is 70% completed. The commercial idea of an airport on Koh Phangan is attractive as the island has a large influx of visitors every month for the Full Moon Party. Finally, the check-in desks at the new Don Muang airport are often besieged with technical problems causing long queues. 2+ Book now eTicket … Towards Haad Rin, Koh Phangan from Big Buddha ferry: 09:30 11:40 14:30 17:30. Koh Phangan airport could be open a soon as next year! Throughout 2016 it looked like Koh Phangan Airport was dead in the water. Search flights. The proposed airport will include an 1100m runway and have capacity for 600,000 passengers p/a. As Koh Phangan does not have its own airport, you will need to book a flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui. Compare cheap flights to Koh Phangan Airport by simply using the search box above. The closest airport to Koh Phangan is on Koh Samui, where Bangkok Airways operates frequent daily flights linking Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. Kan Air proposes to start daily scheduled flights from Koh Phangan Airport to Don Muang Airport in Bangkok.