Udon Thani International Airport

Udon Thani International Airport (Thai: ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี) (IATA: UTH, ICAO: VTUD) is an international airport near the city of Udon Thani (Thai: อุดรธานี also Udorn Thanee) in Udon Thani Province in the northeast region of Thailand. It is approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) northeast of Bangkok. It currently has domestic flights to and from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), Chiang Mai (on Nok Air), Hat Yai (on Thai Lion Air), Phuket (on Thai AirAsia), Rayong (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.[1] In 2015, it handled 2,213,689 passengers and 3,678 tonnes of freight.[2] It has been managed by the Department of Airports (DOA).

Udon Thani International Airport

ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี
Summary
Airport typePublic / Military
OperatorDepartment of Airports (DOA)
ServesUdon Thani, Nong Khai and Nong Bua Lamphu
LocationNong Khon Kwang, Mueang Udon Thani District, Udon Thani Province, Thailand
Opened1932 (1932)
Elevation AMSL579 ft / 176 m
Coordinates17°23′11″N 102°47′18″E
Maps
UTH is located in Thailand
UTH
UTH
Location of airport in Thailand
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 10,000 3,048 Asphalt
For the United States use of the facility during the Vietnam War see Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base

Udon Thani Airport is the DOA's money-maker, with profits reaching 100 million baht a year.[3] This airport will be transferred to Airports of Thailand PCL (AOT) in the first half of 2023.[4]

History
Udon Thani Airport Terminal
Departure lounge, Terminal 1 Udon Thani International Airport

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,[5] over the Udon Thani airport.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Nok AirBangkok–Don Mueang, Chiang Mai
Thai AirAsiaBangkok–Don Mueang,[6] Phuket
Thai Airways InternationalBangkok–Suvarnabhumi (resumes 1 December 2023)[7]
Thai Lion AirBangkok–Don Mueang, Hat Yai
Thai SmileBangkok–Suvarnabhumi (ends 30 November 2023)[7]
Thai VietJet AirBangkok–Suvarnabhumi

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 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, Sakon Nakhon Airport, and Tak Airport.[8]

References
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2015-01-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2016-04-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "AoT to take control of four airports". Bangkok Post. 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  4. เคาะ AOT, February 9, 2023
  5. "Record". Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  6. Liu, Jim. "Thai AirAsia adds new routes from Hua Hin in August 2020". Routesonline. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  7. "Thai Airways International NW23 Preliminary Domestic Network – 27AUG23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  8. Sritama, Suchat (29 July 2018). "Bursting the Tourism Bubble". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 4 August 2018.

Media related to Udon Thani International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
Udon Thani travel guide from Wikivoyage

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