Chiang Mai airport to close early on Dec 31

Chiang Mai airport to close early on Dec 31

Chiang Mai airport will serve passengers until 7pm on Tuesday to avoid lanters and fireworks. (Airports of Thailand photo)
Chiang Mai airport will serve passengers until 7pm on Tuesday to avoid lanters and fireworks. (Airports of Thailand photo)

Chiang Mai airport will cancel 54 flights and reschedule 37 others on New Year's Eve to avoid lanterns and fireworks during the countdown to 2020.

Airport general manager Amornrux Choomsai Na Ayuthaya said on Thursday that on the last night of the year, the airport will only serve passengers until 7pm.

The cancellations and rescheduling apply to flights which depart and/or arrive at the airport after the cut-off time.

Mr Amornrux said officers will be deployed with sniffer dogs to detect drugs hidden in passengers' suitcases.

He also reminded that nam prik num — a northern-style chili paste often brought as souvenirs from Chiang Mai — is considered liquid. As such, only packages containing less than 100 millilitres of the paste are permitted onboard the aircraft.

"Airport officials have already urged food vendors to pack nam prik num in appropriately-sized containers for tourists who want to bring some home on the plane," he said.

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