Pai Airport

Pai Airport ท่าอากาศยานปาย
IATA: PYY ICAO: VTCI
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Department of Airports Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Serves	Pai
Location	Tambon Wiang Tai, Amphoe Pai, Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Opened	1947;78 years ago (1947)
Coordinates	19°22′22″N098°26′19″E / 19.37278°N 98.43861°E / 19.37278; 98.43861
Website	minisite.airports.go.th/pai
Map
PYY/VTCI Location of airport in Thailand
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 01/19 1,000 3,280 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Passengers 1,032

Pai Airport( IATA : PYY, ICAO : VTCI) is in Tambon Wiang Tai, Amphoe Pai, Mae Hong Son province in Northern Thailand.

Located on a 72.3-rai area around a kilometre away from Mueang Mae Hong Son, the capital district of the province, the airport has one runway (23 metres wide, 1,000 metres long). ^[1]

History

In 1947, Pai Airport was constructed along with three cabins for the visit of Field Marshall Phibun. On February 1971, an Air America listing depicts two airstrips at Pai. However, the depiction and location of the airstrip may have been an error. In 2007, the runway was paved, and it was later extended to 200 meters by February 2011. ^{[2] [3]}

In early 2017, an expansion of the airport was considered by the government to increase tourism, but was ultimately denied after opposition from locals. ^[4]

Airlines and destinations

Since Kan Air discontinued all flights in April 2017, there has been no scheduled commercial airline service to Pai.

In May 2018, a new carrier called Wisdom Airways announced plans to fly from Pai to Chiang Mai. A year later, the airline stopped all flights when it ceased all operations in 2019, leaving the airport dormant.

References

1. "กรมการบินพลเรือน". minisite.aviation.go.th. Archived from the original on 2016-03-12. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
2. "Pai Airstrip". World War 2 in North Thailand. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
3. "Pai Airport". Thai Flying Club. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
4. "DOA denies expansion at Pai airport". Bangkok Post. 25 March 2017.

External links

• Pai travel guide from Wikivoyage