History
On 7 November 1923, Lampang Airport was established, and was listed on an air show on February 1924 for touring the Northern regions of Thailand. It operated air transportation.
World War II
During World War II, it became a part of the Lampang Airfield Complex. In March 1940, the US War Department report listed Lampang Airport as a military landing ground. The airport was operated and maintained by the Royal Thai Air Force. On 7 December 1941, the US Army Air Corps reported Lampang Airport with 2 hangars and a grass runway. On 12 December 1941, Lampang Airport was occupied by Imperial Japanese Army troops. On 22 March 1942, Lampang Airport was being developed into a heavy bomber airfield. In early 1942, Lampang Airport was heavily crowded with IJAAC and RTAF squadrons, totaling 47 aircraft. The squadrons led multiple bombing missions at a Nationalist Chinese 93th Division military base in Loi Moei, where 11,000 troops were based. [2]
Units
- 41st Fighter Squadron, 22-27 December 1941, equipped with Curtiss Hawk IIIs.
- 32nd Attack Squadron, 22 December 1941 - 18 February 1942, equipped with nine Curtiss Hawk IIs.
- 70th Independent Chutai, 22 January 1942, equipped with 4 x Ki-15 Type 97 aircraft for reconnaissance missions.
- RTAF Light Bomber Squadrons 11 and 12, 13-26 April 1942.
- RTAF Heavy Bomber Squadron 05-9 May 1942, equipped with 9 x Ki-12 Type 97 Heavy Bombers.
- RTAF Light Bomber Squadrons 11, 12, and 62, 17-27 May 1942, equipped with 6 x Ki-21.
- 77th Sentai, 22 June 1942
- RTAF Squadrons 11 and 12, 19-28 June 1942.
- RTAF Squadrons 11 and 12, July–December 1942.
- RTAF Squadron 61, October-November 1942, equipped with 9 x Ki-21 Heavy Bombers. [2]
Post-war
In 1946, Thai Airways Company Limited begun commercial flight services at Lampang Airport, transporting passengers using DC-3 aircraft. In 1953, an aviation communication and air traffic control tower was constructed at Lampang Airport, with the airport offering aeronautical radio services. From 1963-1965, the Department of Commercial Aviation acquired an additional 41 rai, 1 nahn, and 22 square wah of land for airport development. In 1965, construction of a concrete passenger terminal building and a 5-storey control tower was completed. Additionally, the runway and taxiway surfaces were upgraded to improve performance. In 1986, further improvements were made on the runway, taxiway, and apron surfaces. The passenger terminal was also expanded to accommodate more passenger. In 1991, construction of a DVOR/DME navigation aid building was constructed, funded under the 1990 budget at a cost of 25 million baht. In 2012, construction of a new passenger terminal began with a budget of 236 million baht. The new terminal at Lampang Airport partially opened on 27 September 2015 and opened to the public on 22 October 2015. [3]
Lampang Airport has a plan to expand its runway length from 1,971 metres (6,470 ft) long to 2,150–2,200 metres (7,050–7,220 ft) long and to add more aircraft parking spaces from 3 to 5 (2016 budget year).
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