Up in the air: Thailand to elevate tourism with airport upgrades
The Ministry of Transport in Thailand has allocated funds to upgrade airports in three provinces in northeastern Thailand to boost secondary city tourism.
Assistant Transport Minister Manoporn Charoensri announced efforts to transform Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, and Mukdahan into year-round tourist destinations.
The initiative aligns with the government’s policy under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who emphasises secondary city tourism, with 2025 set to be a significant year for the industry. The ministry aims to enhance transport infrastructure to support tourism and local communities, especially in these culturally rich provinces.
In terms of air travel, the ministry is coordinating with commercial airlines to increase flights to Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon airports. Currently, Nakhon Phanom Airport offers 12 daily flights, with three parking bays, served by Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air, which will introduce four additional flights starting June 19. Sakon Nakhon Airport, with four parking bays, operates eight flights daily, served by Thai AirAsia and Nok Air.
Mukdahan Airport is in the environmental impact assessment phase. Manoporn instructed the Department of Airports to improve Nakhon Phanom Airport facilities to ensure convenience and cleanliness, focusing on backup electricity, check-in management, and illegal item checks.
The initiative also stresses the importance of adequate public transportation for seamless travel within and between provinces during peak hours. Activities under the Living Airport concept will promote local identity, support local products, and host events around important festivals to stimulate the local economy.
Airports upgrade
On April 27, Manoporn attended an exhibition and closed the Safe Agricultural Drones project, a collaboration between Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, the Department of Rice, and the Ministry of the Interior. This project, part of the Nakhon Phanom Model, encourages farmers to use drones legally and safely.
It has shown increased productivity and income for farmers over 22 rai in Tha Uthen district, with plans to expand nationwide under the One Subdistrict, One Agricultural Drone policy. She also visited the air traffic control tower in Nakhon Phanom, stressing the need for efficiency in handling flight growth.
For this year, Manoporn has tasked the Department of Airports with a 165.99 million baht (US4.97 million) budget to develop Nakhon Phanom Airport, covering water, electricity, facility purchases, and aircraft fire system upgrades. Sakon Nakhon Airport will see a 4.29 million baht (US$128,535) development.
Aeronautical Radio of Thailand plans projects from 2025 to 2029, with a total budget of 359.47 million baht (US$10.77 million). These include a 208.91 million baht (US$6.25 million) upgrade to the Instrument Landing System/Distance Measuring Equipment (ILS/DME) starting in fiscal year 2026, and a 40.11 million baht (US$1.2 million) upgrade to the Digital Voice Recording and Replay System, which underwent a factory acceptance test in February 2025, reported KhaoSod.
Additionally, there are plans for a 58.13 million baht (US$1.74 million) upgrade to the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) at the NDB navigation station and air traffic control tower, currently under consideration, and a 52.32 million baht upgrade to the UPS at the localiser station, which is under TOR review.
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