U-TAPAO, THAILAND – A social media video showing dozens of abandoned aircraft at a site described as a Thai Air Force “aircraft graveyard” raised questions over how a foreign visitor accessed a suspected military area.
The clip that raised questions
On 7 March, the Instagram account @ruffy_the_travelbuddy published a video showing a person walking through an old hangar and storage area. The accompanying German caption read:
“And today again a very special lost place for you. An aircraft graveyard of the Thai Air Force…”
said the Instagram account, in the post’s description.
The footage showed several aircraft fuselages and planes parked across a wide, open area. The impression was that these were old airframes apparently no longer in active service and left behind as decommissioned aircraft.
Access to a sensitive site
In Thai-language comments, users critically questioned how the person had gained access, as several described the location as state-owned land that was difficult to reach even for locals. In response, the account owner said it had been an open area, that nobody had been on site, and that they had been able to
“just walk in”
said the account holder.
One commentator located the site within the U-Tapao airport area in Rayong and explicitly described it as a military zone. From that, he derived a clear warning that people should not enter, even if there were no visible prohibition signs on site.
Beach access, grey areas and oversight
According to the same comment, the route was also used as a passage towards Hat Naphatharaphirom Beach, making the situation confusing for visitors unfamiliar with the area. It remained unclear in the online discussion whether the responsible aviation unit of the Royal Thai Navy tolerated or officially permitted such visits.
U-Tapao project under pressure
At the same time, U-Tapao was in the economic spotlight because a major airport development project worth 290 billion baht had struggled with delays for years. The consortium in charge had recently warned it could withdraw from the venture due to ongoing delays and what it viewed as a lack of government decisions.
The discussion around the video also touched on broader questions for readers: whether “lost place” posts from areas near military facilities in Thailand should be pursued more consistently, even when access appeared unsecured, and which rules and limits should apply to photo tours and social media shoots around government and military sites.