Thai Deputy PM: China Laos Airfield No Immediate Threat
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Sisak Pongketkaew said a Chinese-built airfield in Laos, roughly 50 km from the Thai border, does not currently threaten Thailand. He noted the project is a bilateral China-Laos effort and said Laos would inform Thailand of any regional security concerns. Sisak also confirmed there are no plans yet for the U.S. to reopen a consulate in Songkhla Province.
Sisak Pongketkaew affirmed that China's airfield near the Thai border, about 50 kilometers away, does not yet affect Thailand and may not be as feared, but if there is a regional issue, Laos would inform. Speaking on October 14, 2026 at Government House, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sisak Pongketkaew said the project is a China-Laos cooperation, which he did not discuss during his visit to Laos because it is an internal matter and there is nothing to worry about. He added that the airfield construction might not be as anticipated, but it should be monitored, and Laos would notify if any regional security concerns arise. When asked whether the United States had notified or considered reopening a consulate in Songkhla Province, Sisak said there has been none.
