# Chiang Rai International Airport

Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport (IATA: CEI, ICAO: VTCT) is in Ban Du subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai district, Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand. The airport is about 8 km from the city center. Since 1998, it has been managed by the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT). In 2013, the airport handled over 1,000,000 passengers and 7,000 passenger flights. The airport had international flight facilities and served a few international routes to Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Haikou, Hangzhou, Changsha, Xishuangbanna, Shenzhen, and Chengdu, all of which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since travel restrictions were imposed in China, there have been no international commercial flights connecting Chiang Rai to the global market. Thus, the airport has been seeking other possible routes to connect to such as to South Korea.
In 2014, Airports of Thailand (AOT) announced that they would expand Chiang Rai Airport. The plans include building an additional taxiway and more shops, and possibly extending the runway. This should be completed in 2030.
Chiang Rai International Airport was named "Mae Fah Luang", after Princess Srinagarindra, mother of the previous monarch, Bhumibol Adulyadej, reigning under the dynastic name of Rama IX.

## Expansion

Since the relaxation of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the airport is handling approximately 3,900 passengers per day. However, there are still no international flights operating to the airport. Airports of Thailand has approved expansion plans for the airport to attract international carriers and improve the experience for passengers using the airport's facilities. This includes improvements to the airport's entrance and exit roads, the construction of a Maintenance Repair Operation centre (MRO) for aircraft maintenance, and the construction of a parallel taxiway.
The construction of the aircraft maintenance facility is set to be completed by 31 July 2023. The facility will be able to service and repair large Airbus and Boeing aircraft from China. The airport will also become a cargo transportation hub for the northern region of Thailand.

## Statistics
### Traffic by calendar year

Comparison of passenger volume, aircraft movements and cargo volume at Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport, by year :
| Year | Passengers | Change from previous year | Movements | Cargo (tons) |
| 2010 | 726,127 | – | 5,458 | 2,794 |
| 2011 | 818,163 | 012.67% | 5,819 | 4,306 |
| 2012 | 986,436 | 020.57% | 7,138 | 4,755 |
| 2013 | 1,089,232 | 010.42% | 7,181 | 4,440 |
| 2014 | 1,379,022 | 026.6% | 10,985 | 3,556 |
| 2015 | 1,745,568 | 026.58% | 13,402 | 4,491 |
| 2016 | 2,060,200 | 018.02% | 14,590 | 4,719 |
| 2017 | 2,503,375 | 021.51% | 17,661 | 4,288 |
| 2018 | 2,867,289 | 014.54% | 20,072 | 3,531 |
| 2019 | 2,928,881 | 02.15% | 20,128 | 2,535 |
| 2020 | 1,513,294 | 048.33% | 12,126 | 963 |
| 2021 | 710,408 | 053.06% | 6,131 | 586 |
| 2022 | 1,686,726 | 0137.43% | 11,920 | 920 |
| 2023 | 1,920,228 | 013.84% | 12,485 | 875 |
| 2024 | 1,912,859 | 00.38% | 12,449 | 955 |

## Airlines and destinations

| Airlines | Destinations |
| Nok Air | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai AirAsia | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai Airways International | Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi |
| Thai Lion Air | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai VietJet Air | Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Phuket |

## Accidents and incidents

* 30 July 2022: Nok Air Flight 108, a Boeing 737-800 (registered HS-DBR) from Bangkok Don Muang to Chiang Rai with 164 passengers and six crew, landed on Chiang Rai's runway 03 at 21:04L (14:04Z) but veered left off the runway and came to a stop all wheels off the paved runway. There were no injuries reported. The airport was closed until the aircraft and foreign object debris (FOD) could be moved away from the runway. The airport reopened and continued operations as normal six days later.