Nong Prue Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic factors and urban encroachment. As the city of Pattaya expanded rapidly eastward, the land on which the airport sat became extremely valuable for real estate development. The airfield was gradually surrounded by housing estates and commercial buildings, making its operation increasingly impractical and unsafe due to noise complaints and the risk to the surrounding population. The land was subsequently sold to developers.

The site has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an airport from the ground. The former runway and taxiways have been replaced by a dense network of local roads (such as Soi Boonsampan and Soi Khao Talo), numerous housing developments ('moo baans'), shophouses, and other commercial properties. While no infrastructure like hangars or terminals remains, the faint, straight-line scar of the former runway can still be discerned in satellite imagery, cutting through the newer developments.

Nong Prue Airport, also widely known as 'Pattaya Airpark', was a private general aviation (GA) airfield. It was a vital center for recreational flying and flight training in the Pattaya area for many years. The airport was a former base for the Thai Flying Club, one of Thailand's most prominent civil aviation clubs, before they relocated. Operations consisted exclusively of light aircraft, such as single-engine Cessnas and Pipers, used for private transport, pilot training, and leisure flights. It never handled scheduled commercial passenger services or military operations.

There are zero prospects for reopening Nong Prue Airport. The land has been irreversibly and fully converted to high-density residential and commercial use. Reacquiring the numerous private properties to rebuild an airfield would be logistically and financially impossible. Furthermore, the region's aviation needs are comprehensively served by the large, nearby U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport (UTP), which is undergoing significant expansion to become a major international gateway.