THAI plane slips off runway, Khon Kaen Airport temporarily closed

KHON KAEN, THAILAND, November 4 (TNA) - Khon Kaen Airport in the Thai Northeast has been temporarily closed, after a plane of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, slipped from its runway on Monday night with all passengers and crew members on board confirmed safe. The THAI plane is expected to be towed away within November 4, while all inbound and outbound flights of the Khon Kaen Airport have diverted to Udon Thani Airport until the Khon Kaen Airport is re-opened for normal services. The THAI's Airbus A330 plane, serving Flight TG 047, (Khon Kaen-Bangkok) with two pilots, 11 crew members and 246 passengers aboard, slipped from its runway and was stuck in soil while preparing for its takeoff at 8:50pm on November 3. Staffs at the Khon Kaen Airport were using balloons to remove the plane on Tuesday morning, as the aircraft is too big to be handled with a crane. All people on board the THAI flight have been, however, confirmed safe although the incident caused the airport closure. Buses have already been deployed to transport affected passengers from Khon Kaen Airport to Udon Thani Airport to resume their trip to Bangkok. Ampawan Wannako, Udon Thani Airport Director, told reporters that eight flights of THAI, THAI Smile, Nok Air and AirAsia have been informed to temporarily use Udon Thani Airport instead until Khon Kaen Airport is re-opened. Airlines have, thus, deployed buses to then transport their passengers to Khon Kaen Province. The director said Udon Thani Airport normally handles 26 flights a day and can serve more flights. (TNA)