Rakhine parliament urged government to upgrade Thandwe airport in the next financial year

Thandwe airport in southern Rakhine should be upgraded to include customs facilities in the next financial year to accommodate flights from abroad, a Rakhine lawmaker said.

“International flights cannot land at the airport directly and this is a factor which contributes to the limited number of tourists in Ngapali,” said Amyotha Hluttaw lawmaker Daw Htu May (Arakan National Party, Rakhine-11) on May 25 in parliament, referring to the tourist hotspot of Ngapali beach in Thandwe township.

The airport has been in operation since the 1950s but only serves domestic flights.

Daw Htu May said upgrading Thandwe airport not only boost foreign tourists but also other local businesses, citing the example of Rakhine exporting fisheries via the Yangon International Airport.

Responding to the MP’s comments, transport minister U Thant Sin Maung said the proposal is not possible at present but maybe feasible after 2020-21.

Elsewhere, the authorities are planning and building new airports to improve connectivity, a move expected to bring in more tourism and trade.

The first airport in Chin State will be completed this month and is set to open in June, according to the state government. The Surbung airport will be located in Chin’s Falam township with a 800-metre runway.

Another airport, Lailenpi, is also under construction at Matupi township in southern Chin. It is backed by $2.2 million in foreign aid from Mission Aviation Fellowship International based in the UK. - Translated

(The Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/rakhine-mp-urges-govt-upgrade-thandwe-airport.html )

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