As of 4am on Thursday, the Nok Air DD108 flight from Bangkok that had skidded off the runway last Saturday night had been removed.

The minister said that the runway has also been repaired and cleaned with help from Thai Airways International’s aircraft recovery team and related agencies.

The flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport had skidded off the runway while trying to land in heavy rain. Its 164 passengers and six crew were transported to the terminal after a long wait.

The airport immediately closed up after the incident and said it would take until August 5 to have the runway ready.

Saksayam said officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand will on Friday inspect the runway and perform friction tests as well as other safety checks under air navigation standards. He said he expects the runway to be ready for use on the same day.

The Nation