Yala's Betong Airport, which is due to open for service in June next year, will be designed to reflect the district's well-known phai tong forest and mountainous landscape, says the Department of Airports.
"Phai tong, which is also known as the rough giant bamboo, or Dendrocalamus asper, is common in the area," said the source. "In fact, the name of the district is derived from this type of bamboo." Real phai tong wood will also be used in both the interior and exterior of the airport, he said.
The source also said that the airport's colour scheme will reflect phai tong's foliage, which is green when it sprouts but turns yellow as it matures. "The marble patterns that we picked will reflect Betong's magnificent, mountainous terrain -- which is often shrouded by fog," the source added.
"The general lines of the airport's terminal will also be designed to replicate the undulating landscape of the area."
According to the blueprint, the airport will have a single, 1.8-kilometre-long runway -- which is suited for smaller aircraft such as ATR-72s and Q-400s.
The terminal is designed to handle up to 876,000 passengers per year, and is expected to draw about one million tourists to Betong.
Construction is about 80% complete, and installation of the airport management system will begin once the work is completed in July this year, said Amphawan Wannako, the department's director-general.