Hua Hin to re-open to international tourists from October 1

Hua Hin’s re-opening is still on track for October 1, with officials hoping to welcome commercial flights and private jets to the airport. Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the Hua Hin Recharge programme covers 86.3 square kilometres between Hua Hin municipality and the district of Nong Kae.

The Bangkok Post reports that once tourists receive a negative result from a Covid-19 test on arrival, they will be free to travel within this area. Tourists who’ve also spent 7 days on Phuket as part of the island’s sandbox scheme can also travel to Hua Hin.

Yuthasak points out that while the runway at Hua Hin is only 2.1km long, it can still handle narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320, as well as private jets. According to Yuthasak, if aircraft can fly between Phuket and Samui, where the runway is also short, flights can operate between Phuket and Hua Hin.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, says his ministry is working on getting more vaccine doses for Hua Hin, in order to meet the vaccination target for re-opening. Phiphat says he’d like surrounding areas or all of Prachuap Khiri Khan to be included in the vaccine rollout, as doing so could open up the entire province to international tourists in the near future.

Currently, just 24% of residents in the Hua Hin Recharge area are fully vaccinated, while over 73% have received their first dose. Phiphat says a further 11,000 doses are needed in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

“The full reopening of Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi provinces will be more beneficial to the local economy because Recharge can connect to other provinces along the coastline such as Chumphon and Ranong.”

The Bangkok Post reports that Hua Hin airport has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Phoenix Group, a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-based aviation company. The MOU will allow for the development of the airport to allow for more direct international flights. The Phoenix Group recently organised a roadshow to promote Hua Hin’s forthcoming re-opening, with a number of international carriers from Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and India expressing interest in the Hua Hin Recharge programme.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post