Hua Hin direct flight connection with Phuket to open up Prachuap Khiri Khan

HUA HIN: September 15, 2022: Thailand expats, tourists and locals look forward to enhanced access to and from Prachuap Khiri Khan with the highly-anticipated launch of twice-weekly direct flights between Hua Hin (HHQ) and Phuket (HKT). 

According to an announcement in June, as reported by the Royal Coast Review, the initiative, which “is not coming from the airlines but driven by the Phoenix-plan organising the flights with the support of travel agencies and partners.” could see service commence by mid-to-late September, ahead of Thailand’s coming tourism ‘high season’. 

According to the June announcement, tickets could cost about THB2,000 ($54.59), though a flight and fare schedule had yet to be confirmed at time of press

Speaking on the initiative earlier this year during the SKÅL Thailand Congress in Phuket, as reported by Hua Hin Today, Chairman of Phoenix Aviation Thailand and co-founder of the Phoneix Group, Udorn Olsson said the new connection would benefit both international and domestic flights “bringing Hua Hin to a wider audience.” 

The other Pheonix Group co-founder, CEO John Laroche added that the flights will cater to “huge demand for this service, well above other domestic flight preferences.” 

According to the Pheonix Group, the Pheonix Plan is a “breakthrough concept . . . linking airport and [Hua Hin] town to create the critical mass necessary for upgraded visitor services, new flight routes, partnership opportunities and special tourist services in Hua Hin town as well as at Hua Hin Airport.” 

The plan emphasizes three segments: medical tourism, health & wellness and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions). 

In related news, as reported by Khao Sod, the Thai government injected THB250 million to upgrade Hua Hin Airport with runway expansion to facilitate the anticipated increase in domestic and international flights to and from Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The Cabinet, according to Thai Post, also approved of a budget of THB350 million for the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to allocate towards “improvements to security standards” needed to enable international flights to and from Hua Hin Airport.

The initiatives and investments are in support of the government’s “Thailand Riviera 4 Plus 2” scheme to bolster tourism in the Thai provinces of Samut Sakhon, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong and Surat Thani.

Air Asia currently operates direct flights between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai (CNX) – FD 3900 (CNX to HHQ) and FD 3901 (HHQ to CNX).