Ranong's domestic airport lies 20 to 25 km south of town, about 40 minutes by car, and the piers for Koh Phayam and Koh Chang are a further 4 km west of town. There is no public transport, so arrange a taxi or a pre-booked car before you land. The airport closes overnight.
By the bookingMentor Travel Desk · Updated · How we research
Ranong is one of the smallest airports in southern Thailand. This section covers what the terminal has, what it lacks and how to plan around it.
Please note: Flights, hotels near the airport and car hire with driver on this page can be booked directly on bookingMentor. We list places on merit, and bookings never affect what we say about them.
Ranong Airport (UNN) is a small domestic airport in Ratchakrut subdistrict, about 22 km south of Ranong town on Thailand's northern Andaman coast, close to the border with Myanmar. Thai AirAsia flies from here to Bangkok Don Mueang. Most passengers are heading for the islands of Koh Phayam and Ranong's Koh Chang, or for the town's hot springs, about 500 km from Bangkok.
The airport sits on flat land between the sea and the hills, with Highway 4 running past on the inland side and a mountain range rising behind; Khao Nom Sao, 1,089 m high, is 6 km away. Construction began on 30 March 1993, and the Department of Airports opened the airport on 18 May 1995. The first arrival was a Boeing 737 carrying 150 passengers.
The single terminal covers about 4,000 m² and was designed for around 300 passengers at a time, which is ample for current traffic. Inside, expect a check-in hall, a waiting area and little else. There is little or no food, so eat in town before you leave or carry snacks. There is no lounge, and hotels and restaurants are all in town.
The runway, 02/20, is 2,000 m long and 45 m wide, in concrete and asphalt, and six helicopter pads line both sides of the apron. The field is about 17 m above sea level and carries Category 6 fire cover. The aerodrome's published hours are 06:00 to 18:00 local time, so there are no evening flights, and the building is staffed around the day's two departures.
Ranong handled 131,104 passengers in 2025, up 7.88 percent, on 889 aircraft movements, and carried no air freight. That is still below 2019, when about 170,000 passengers and 2,237 flights passed through.
The only scheduled service is Thai AirAsia to Bangkok Don Mueang, typically about two flights a day. There is no Suvarnabhumi service, and no international flights; customs and immigration are available only on request. International arrivals connect at Don Mueang.
Koh Phayam, reached by boat from the Ranong pier, is the main draw. Ranong's Koh Chang, not to be confused with the larger island of the same name in Trat, covers about 18 km² and has around 80 homes; cashew and rubber plantations and coastal fishing are its main livelihoods. Laem Son National Park protects beaches such as Hat Bang Ben and a scatter of islands.
In town, Raksawarin Hot Springs is the most popular of Ranong's hot springs. Ranong lies at the narrowest point of the Kra Isthmus, about 44 km wide, and Kawthaung in Myanmar lies just across the border.
Ranong and Trat are Thailand's wettest provinces, with more than 4,500 mm of rain a year, and Ranong's nickname translates as "eight months of rain, four months of sunshine". The rainy season runs for about eight months, and island boats can be limited in rough weather, so the dry months are the easiest time to combine a flight with an island stay. Whatever the season, arrive about an hour before departure and leave a buffer if you are coming off Koh Phayam the same day.
At Ranong, landside is the small public hall with check-in and the arrivals exit. Airside is the waiting area after security. There is no passport control because every flight is domestic.
This guide is written and maintained by the bookingMentor Travel Desk. We check Ranong's flight and transport details against Department of Airports, airline and local sources, and update the page when the timetable or transfer options change.
Last updated . Transfer and boat prices are indicative and change by season. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Department of Airports informationAirline timetablesIndependent travel guides for Ranong and Koh Phayam
Departures and arrivals listed on bookingMentor for Ranong Airport.
Times are from the flights listed on bookingMentor, not a live departure feed. Always confirm with your airline before travelling.
Ranong's only scheduled flights are to Bangkok Don Mueang.
1 airline
No domestic match
Ranong Airport has no lounge.
Tap water is not recommended for drinking. Bring a bottle of sealed water with you.
There are no showers at Ranong Airport.
Power points are limited, so arrive with a charged phone or power bank. Thailand uses types A, B, C, F and O sockets at 220 V.
Do not rely on the terminal for WiFi or a SIM card. Buy an eSIM before flying or a SIM from a phone shop in Ranong town, and keep your driver's phone number saved offline.
There is little or no food at Ranong Airport. Eat in town before you leave, or carry snacks.
Ranong's terminal covers the basics for two flights a day.
Nothing matches that search. Try "sim", "wifi", "bag" or "food".
Ranong handles about two flights a day, and the terminal is staffed around that schedule. Arrive no more than a couple of hours before your flight, as there is nothing to do while you wait.
Ranong takes minutes to get through; the planning is all about what happens outside.
Domestic arrivals walk straight to the baggage area; there is no immigration or customs.
There is no public transport. Meet your pre-booked driver or hotel pickup, take a waiting taxi, or team up with other passengers to share one.
Ask your driver to go straight to the pier west of town. Check the last boat time to Koh Phayam or Koh Chang before you land.
With no buses, arrange a taxi or car the day before, or ask your hotel. Allow about 40 minutes from town.
The terminal is small, but Thai AirAsia closes check-in on time.
Drop bags at the counter, clear security and wait for boarding in the departure area.
Ranong town is about 20 – 25 km north of the airport, and the piers for Koh Phayam and Koh Chang are about 4 km west of town. There is no public transport, so arrange your ride before you land. Taxis usually wait for the Thai AirAsia arrivals and go to Ranong town, about 40 minutes away, or straight to the pier. There is no meter, so agree the price first, and consider sharing with other passengers going the same way. Several Ranong hotels arrange airport pickups and transfers to the Koh Phayam pier if you send your flight number when booking. A car with a driver booked on bookingMentor meets your flight and can take you to your hotel or straight to the pier for the islands. Once you are in town, red songthaews run west from the market on Ruangrat Road, and others go from the bus station directly to the pier for about ฿15, until about 21:00. They do not serve the airport.
With no buses from the airport, a car with driver booked on bookingMentor is the dependable option. The driver meets your flight and can take you to your hotel or straight to the pier for the islands.
Book car hire on bookingMentorTaxis usually wait for the Thai AirAsia arrivals and go to Ranong town or straight to the pier. There is no meter, so agree the price first, and consider sharing with other passengers heading the same way.
Several Ranong hotels arrange airport pickups and transfers to the Koh Phayam pier on request. Send your flight number when you book.
Once you are in town, red songthaews run west from the market on Ruangrat Road, and others from the bus station go directly to the pier for Koh Phayam and Koh Chang boats. They do not serve the airport.
Ranong Airport is small and quiet. The real risk is being stranded without transport.
Others of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
Do not rely on ride-hailing here. Book a car or hotel pickup in advance.
It is not practical. There is no reliable public transport serving the airport.
From the piers about 4 km west of Ranong town centre.
No. The only scheduled route is to Bangkok Don Mueang.
About 4,000 square metres, designed for around 300 passengers at a time.
Types A, B, C, F and O at 220 V.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown through Ranong Airport.
There are no rest zones or lounges. Seating is limited to the check-in hall and departure area.
Cots are not provided. If the flight is cancelled, Thai AirAsia arranges onward options; go to its counter.
Ranong town's hot springs and market are the obvious stop. With a full day, the islands of Koh Phayam and Koh Chang are a short boat ride from the piers west of town.
Tell us how long you have and whether you can leave the secure area.
Immigration, security and Ranong traffic are already factored in.
Explore more options to hire a car for cheap
Everything travellers ask before flying through Ranong.
Checked against Department of Airports, airline and local transport sources, updated each season.
Getting there
About 20 – 25 km by road, roughly 40 minutes by car along Highway 4.
No. There is no public transport from the airport. Take a taxi, arrange a hotel pickup or share a ride with other passengers.
Thai AirAsia is the only airline, flying to Bangkok Don Mueang, usually about twice a day.
No. Ranong has had no international scheduled flights, so there is no immigration on arrival.
Take a taxi or pre-booked car to the pier west of Ranong town, then a speedboat or slower ferry. Taxis at the airport will usually go straight to the pier.
Ninety minutes before departure is enough at this small terminal, but Thai AirAsia closes check-in strictly.
No. The airport works around its daytime flights and is not open for overnight waits.
No. With one low-cost airline and a couple of flights a day, there is no lounge.
Ranong Airport can be reached on +66 77 862 253.
Timing & weather
Speedboats take about 40 – 45 minutes and the slow ferry roughly two hours. Services are more frequent in high season.
General
No. Flights use Don Mueang only. From Suvarnabhumi you must transfer across Bangkok first.
The town is known for its natural hot springs and as the departure point for Koh Phayam and Koh Chang, two quiet islands without big resorts.
Prices & payment
Do not count on it. Bring baht with you, and buy an eSIM before you fly or a SIM in Ranong town.
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