The long-pending plan to build a new airport in the restive southernmost city of Betong has come closer to reality.
The Civil Aviation Department has nearly overcome the hurdle preventing the construction of the 1.3-billion-baht facility in Yala province from getting off the ground _ the acquisition of 920 rai of land.
Some 90% of the required plot for the state-funded airport has been obtained following painstaking negotiations with landlords, some of whom are villagers opposed to the project.
Officials are optimistic about completing the remaining land acquisition soon, enabling construction to start later this year or early next year.
State funds have been set aside for the proposed airport, which will handle aircraft as large as the Airbus 320.
Commercial operations are expected to start next year or in 2015.
The planned airport encompasses a runway 30 metres wide and up to 2,000 metres in length, while the passenger terminal will have 7,000 square metres of usable space.
The government has given the project high priority, as it forms an essential part of overall infrastructure development in the three southernmost provinces plagued by insurgent attacks.
The airport will facilitate safer and more convenient transport to and from Betong.
Many travellers to Betong now fly to Penang, Malaysia and then travel overland to the town. This route is seen as safer than flying into Hat Yai airport and travelling by road to Betong on a route that is prone to attacks.
Although no commercial airlines have yet expressed interest in operating flights through the proposed airport, officials believe Betong's status as one of the more important commercial and tourism centres in the deep South will create traffic for airlines.
Narathiwat is the only airport in the troubled southernmost provinces to be served by an airline _ Thai AirAsia.