Work begins on new Luang Prabang airport

Land clearance has begun to prepare for construction of the new airport in Luang Prabang province and a groundbreaking ceremony will be held next month, the provincial deputy governor said yesterday.

A Lao Airlines aircraft flies over Luang Prabang before landing at the international airport. The airport will be expanded to accommodate larger aircraft. --Photo Phoonsab Thevongsa

Mr Khampheng Saysom-pheng told Vientiane Times yesterday local authorities were trying to decide on the most auspicious day for the groundbreaking ceremony.

The new airport and its related facilities will be built on the same site as the existing airport, said Mr Khampheng, adding that services will continue as usual during construction.

The new airport is scheduled to open to the public in 2013.

Mr Khampheng said 500 families will be relocated from the construction site and officials are developing new areas to accommodate those who will be relocated.

Roads and electricity connections will be provided and the government will pay compensation to people who have to be relocated.

Once complete, the upgraded airport will have a 3,000 metre runway and will be able to accommodate larger aircraft with the exception of the Airbus A380.

“Planes carrying up to 400 passengers will be able to land at the new airport. Four Boeing aircraft and seven ATR planes will be able to park at the same time,” Mr Khampheng told Vientiane Times.

The construction cost of 736 billion kip (US$86.4 million) will be financed by a special credit loan from the Chinese government.

An agreement on the loan was one of the eight cooperation documents signed between the two governments during a working visit by Lao leaders to China led by President and Party Secretary General Choummaly Sayasone from September 6-13 last year.

The airport, 3km outside the town centre, will be better able to handle the growing tourism industry and investment in the World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang and the northern provinces , the deputy governor said.

“We hope the new airport will be an important transit point for the northern provinces , linking with other countries in the region. Overseas tourists and businesspeople who want to visit or conduct business in the northern provinces will have the option of flying here directly.”

Luang Prabang province has direct flights to several major cities in the region, such as Vietnam 's capital Hanoi , Thailand 's Bangkok , Udon Thani and Chiang Mai, and Cambodia 's Siem Reap.

Mr Khampheng believes the new airport will allow for direct flights from more cities to the province, especially once the global economy has recovered.

Most visitors to the province come by air, with up to about 70 percent of tourists arriving by plane.

Additionally, in the event Vientiane 's Wattay International Airport experiences difficulties, planes can land in Luang Prabang instead, he said.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update February 16, 2010)