BANGKOK: Hat Yai Airport temporarily closed Runway 26 after an airport fire engine accident, forcing some inbound flights to divert to Krabi.
The Hat Yai International Airport temporarily closed Runway 26 on Wednesday (June 17) afternoon after an airport fire engine was involved in an accident on the runway, disrupting inbound flights and forcing some aircraft to divert to Krabi.
The airport issued a NOTAM, or aviation notice, announcing that Runway 26 would be closed from 1.55pm to 4.30pm on June 17, 2026.
The closure was ordered for safety reasons while airport officials managed the incident area.
The temporary runway closure meant aircraft were unable to land at Hat Yai Airport during the affected period.
Passengers were advised to closely monitor updates from their airlines, as affected flights could face delays or changes to their flight plans.
Flight-tracking images from Flightradar24 showed at least two inbound flights to Hat Yai being diverted to Krabi Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
They were Thai Airways flight TG263 and Thai Lion Air flight SL712.
One person said they had contacted Hat Yai Airport to ask why aircraft were unable to land, as a relative was travelling on Thai Airways flight TG263.
According to the person, the airport said there had been an emergency but did not provide further details at the time.
The same person said TG263 later landed safely at Krabi Airport. - The Nation/ANN
