Hat Yai runway closes after fire engine accident

Hat Yai Airport temporarily closed Runway 26 on Wednesday 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.

Flights face delays and diversions

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.

Passenger says TG263 landed safely in Krabi

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.