: ''For the United States use of the facility during the Vietnam War see Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base'' Udon Thani International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี) is an

international airport An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...

near the city of Udon Thani ( th, อุดรธานี also ''Udorn Thanee'') in Udon Thani Province in the northeast region of Thailand. It is approximately northeast of Bangkok. It currently has domestic flights to and from Bangkok ( Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang),

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

(on Nok Air),

Hat Yai Hat Yai ( th, หาดใหญ่, , also Haad Yai or Had Yai) is a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. It is south of Bangkok, and has a population of 156,802 (2019) in the city itself and an urban population of about 400,00 ...

(on Thai Lion Air), Phuket (on Thai AirAsia),

Rayong Rayong ( th, ระยอง, ) is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand and the capital of Rayong province. It covers tambons Tha Pradu and Pak Nam and parts of ''tambons'' Choeng Noen and Noen Phra, all within ...

(on Thai AirAsia), and Ubon Ratchathani (on Nok Air). In 2006, the airport had 677,411 passengers movements and 1,558 MT cargo movements. In 2013, the airport handled 1,325,305 passengers. In 2015, it handled 2,213,689 passengers and 3,678 tonnes of freight. It has been managed by the Department of Airports (DOA). Udon Thani Airport is the DOA's money-maker, with profits reaching 100 million baht a year.

History

During the Vietnam War the facility was known as Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, serving as a front-line base of the United States Air Force and was the Asian headquarters for Air America. On 8 February 2006, an international group of skydivers from 31 countries called the "World Team" set a world record for the largest freefall formation, a 400-way, over the Udon Thani airport.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Military use

As well as being a commercial facility, Udon Thani International Airport is also an active Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, the home of Wing 23, 2nd Air Division Air Combat Command. The 231 Squadron flies 17 (out of 18 delivered) Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet airplanes acquired second-hand from the

German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...

and delivered in 2001. The squadron previously flew F-5A/RF-5A/F-5B Freedom Fighter airplanes.

Plans

Airports of Thailand PCL (AOT) is budgeting 220 billion baht in 2018 for the creation of two new airports and the expansion of four existing airports owned by the Department of Airports. Udon Thani Airport is one of the four slated for expansion and AOT management. AOT intends to build Chiang Mai 2 in Lamphun Province and Phuket Airport 2 in Phang Nga Province. The three other existing airports to be managed by AOT are

Chumphon Airport Chumphon Airport , ( th, ท่าอากาศยานชุมพร), is an airport in Tambon Chum Kho, Pathio District, Chumphon Chumphon ( th, ชุมพร, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in southern Thailand, capital of the ...

, Sakon Nakhon Airport, and Tak Airport.

References

External links

Udon Thani International Airport Homepage
{{authority control Airports in Thailand Buildings and structures in Udon Thani province Airports established in 1932