FOR THE EXPAT IN ALL OF US! ISSUE 429 26th May 2017
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•There • is an undoubted initial attraction to the idea of improving transport links to the Hua Hin and Cha hua hin
Am areas, and specifically the proposed expansion of the airport to allow for more international and domestic flights. This is exactly what the local division of the Thai Hotels Association have been pushing for this week, as they urged the government to speed up a revamp of the existing airport, to strengthen tourism competitiveness in the area and facilitate airlines, especially budget carriers wishing to add direct flights from major cities in Southeast Asia, China and South Asia to Hua Hin. Naturally it would be a huge boost to the area in terms of tourism, but the fear of many people is that it would change the towns so drastically that it would destroy the very appeal that people travel here for. There are particular concerns from some over an increase in the number of Chinese visitors, after a variety of newspaper stories highlighted how the behaviour of some Chinese tourists has upset local people in other parts of Thailand. The airport has been sadly underused for many years, and it clearly is a resource that should be fully utilised, but the authorities do need to ensure that any expansion does not lead to an already stretched local infrastructure collapsing, or that the town loses it’s charms for those that already visit on a regular basis; it is a tricky balancing act, and it has been a frequent concern of residents that Hua Hin and Cha Am may fall into the same trap as Pattaya did when it rapidly expanded. Perhaps a sensible approach might be to increase the numbers of domestic flights, and allow a limited number of international flights, giving the towns time to gradually adapt to more tourists while still retaining the unique aspects that make them so appealing to visitors.