STEELINOX

also in today's Bkk post - I found after I submitted the topic-starter - a witty article by Don Ross on Page H3 (Traveller's Tales column). He's noticed that if the proposed split of flight activity between the old and new airports takes place, (which seems certain now), Singapore will wind up being a more comprehensive hub to Thai cities, than the new airport! I know that in Thailand, nobody can fry an egg without checking first with Bangkok, but still - I wonder if the powers-that-be have even considered making major tourist destination cities (C.Mai / Phuket / Pattaya / Udon / Samui) airline hubs in their own right. On second thought, I doubt if any of those municiple runways are long and strong enough to handle a 747 - however, 'where there's a will there's a way'

Not only farang, but many traveling Thai people would welcome the relief of NOT having to go through Bangkok on the way to their regional destination - especially if it means (which it often does) having to do an overnight in BKK - with the obligatory 3 to 5 hour shuttle to and fro.

Bangkok is the center of Thai business and government activity, but does not have to be the center of everything Thai. Best of all would be a series of 'satelite cities' that share the load of universities / government / businesses which all feel HAVE TO BE located there. It's happened in other countries - to relieve congestion/pollution, and it can happen here.

When I went to Chiang Mai last month; both ways I was on a 747-400, so the airport can handle the jumbos...

Thanks,

Randy

Did we really need another hub ?

One corruption hub is not enough...More is needed to feed the corrupted....

More hubs are needed to facilitate other fleecings of the people in the LOS !

Bookmark these links:

Suvarnabhumi Airport Departures (real-time):

http://www.thaivisa.com/bkk-departures.html

Suvarnabhumi Airport Arrivals (real-time);

http://www.thaivisa.com/bkk-arrivals.html

Very useful - thanks !

I for one,still plan on retire in thailand. the baht to usd will not scare me off. 20 bht to the dollar, its not going to happen.

this misplaced confidence by Americans never ceases to amaze me ! many of them are completely oblivious

to the financial mess their country is in ???

I know we have serious problems here too in the US. I am even thinking about buying Iraq currency - sheesh!

Bernanke should kick it up a click or two this year but that probabaly wont happen. We shall see...

Thanks,

Randy

Sumet Jumsai, one of Thailand’s top architects, however, insists that the airport would have collapsed — corruption or not. Fifteen years ago he had fought against its location on a swamp. “Nature is now taking its toll in this swamp, and I feel everyone has got it wrong in the ongoing investigation,” he said. “The bottom line is that with or without corruption the runways and any structure not on piles will be subject to differential settlement and cracks.”

You do not need to be a brain surgeon to realise that concrete and steel do not float very well.

LOL !

So they need to close the thing down. AOT needs to pay to have everyone moved over to DM plus they need to absorb ALL expenditures for manpower for ALL the carriers. Swampipoon needs to be sank by pulling the plug or nuked and it needs to be broadcast on live circuit TV to be transmitted globally. A Sadaam like hanging of Taxsin. And the Governator needs to come over to BKK to hold motivational conferences for the Thai people; yup, that should do it !!!

I did this one year ago. I brought birth certificate from USA but written in thai and stamped by Thai Consular office in the USA (My father had this done when I was born just in case, luckily), Thai I.D. card, Tabien Ban, and US Passport.

I didn't have to show my US passport during the application process but I needed to show it when I picked my passport up. They wanted it as a verification of birthplace (since I was not born in Thailand).

Don't remember the price, but the above sounds correct, and the process was quick and rather efficient.

This is very helpful. Sounds just like my situation.

Thanks,

Randy

If you have knowledge of how this works for dual nationals, in particular US citizen with a Thai parent living in Krung Thep that has obtained a Thai passport. Please PM me.

Thanks,

Randy

as i understand it, if you were born outside of thailand you need to get your e-passport from a consulate. it won't be possible to get it in thailand.

Thanks; thats pertinant.

Haha. I know of 3 guys who went after married women, only to marry them (after their divorce) and have kids, and eventually have these women cheat on them, leave them and take half of everything they own. I wouldn't be telling you the truth if I didn't tell you that you're being stupid. Believe it or not, you're thinking with your cock. You'll be sorting yourself out for the rest of your life if you follow through with this woman of low moral fiber. For now, go beat yourself off and start looking for a decent woman! There are too many other (good) women in Bkk to be chasing after a whore by a different name.

Chokdee

Thats tellin him - you go girl !

Thanks,

Randy

If you have knowledge of how this works for dual nationals, in particular US citizen with a Thai parent living in Krung Thep that has obtained a Thai passport. Please PM me.

Thanks,

Randy

acutally what is ur question?

My query is in regards to the procedure. What is involved; is it just the basic Thai passport application thats required?

Thanks,

Randy

If you have knowledge of how this works for dual nationals, in particular US citizen with a Thai parent living in Krung Thep that has obtained a Thai passport. Please PM me.

Thanks,

Randy

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) decided on Friday not to renew the interim Aerodrome Certificate for the Suvarnabhumi Airport in the latest setback for Thailand's brand new international gateway.

The certificate, which shows an airport meets international safety requirements, expired on Thursday.

DCA officials said they had received calls from international pilots expressing concern over the department's decision to leave Suvarnabhumi in a certification "no man's land".

One senior Thai captain told The Nation newspaper the lack of certification would affect confidence in the international pilot community about the safety of Thailand's new airport.

"If I were a foreign pilot, how could I trust that I would be given the right instructions when I had to fly in and out of an airport without international recognition?" he said.

"And I would be particularly concerned if I had to deal with disruptive weather or other emergencies. I don't know who has to bear responsibility in the event a wrong decision is made."

Department director-general Chaisak Angsuwan also revealed the airport's eastern runway would have to be closed for four to five hours on Saturday, citing cracks on runways and taxiways over a wide area of the airfield.

Chaisak said this would force partial closure of the airport for repair work for some weeks, but some local commentators estimate the repairs could take well over a year.

"We also found management problems," Chaisak said.

"For example, the aerodrome operation manual that provides instruction for airport maintenance and accidents still contains incorrect information, which could cause confusion for operators, especially in case of emergencies."...DONT SAY?

However, Chaisak said the lack of an Aerodrome Certificate would not lead to the airport's closure because Suvarnabhumi is operated under a local licence, just like other airports in Thailand.

The Aerodrome Certificate is a recent attempt by the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation to standardise airport operations around the world, but Thailand has not yet issued a law to respond to this new requirement....WOT NO LAW?

No airport in Thailand has been certified, although eight in neighbouring Malaysia have obtained the certificates, as well as two in Singapore, two in the Philippines and one in Hong Kong.

Eight in South Korea, one in North Korea and 93 in Japan have also been certified....

So if my A380 fresh from the factory touches down on Swampipoons "Left" runway and my mains hit one of these fabled cracks, oh wait they're no longer fabled- they ARE a REALITY now that the officials have announced them as such; and tear off causing me to ground loop into a fully loaded V1 moving, JP topped off, BA 747 bound for Queensland splits her in two sending half of her thru terminal C ending in a firey explosion of the terminal and surrounding ground support vehicles killing hundreds in a matter of seconds - who the frak is liable? Is it AOT or is it the DCA or is it IATA or ?

Thanks,

Randy

I tellya what - I wouldnt mind seeing the baht at 64 : 1 USD again - that I would not mind seein at all !

Thanks,

Randy

Don Muang has my vote. Somebody please throw the switch and turn it back on !

I think that sews it up for the place then - it should be shut down for being an unsafe facility.

A line from "A Few Good Men" comes to mind as to why no one in BKK will assume responsibility for this fleecing of the people: Cruz- "I want the truth!" , Nicholson- "You cant handle the truth !!! "

And so it goes again in this seemingly once calm serene land of water buffalo and rice patties where people now drive like maniacs and people are moving so fraking fast that they really dont understand why or what the hel_l all this is for - oh, I forgot its all about the money. The LOS will now be known as "that place where you can get a great massage, some hot papaya salad, some wooden carved elephants and where James Bond did a couple of movies-" no one will remember this sinking airport or the jackov Taksin in ten years from now anyway right!

I used this facility 4 times in the beginning of January- and have to say "Whew- glad my stars were all aligned !" I hope this situation improves because it is a "work in progress" and can see that in the end it could be a diamond in their hat if they could just get the right people in place.

I was annoyed (briefly) on one landing where we sat on the taxiway waiting for a gate assignment or other nonsense like taxi-hurdling jumbos; but if this thing actually worked like a swiss watch, it would be fabulous.

The thing should be shut down for repair and the governement should pay for everyone to move back to DM and they should be penalized for "overthrowing Taxin" and not postponing the opening of the place !

Thanks,

Randy

I'll most likely be staying in the Old City area, though I haven't booked anything yet.

My experience for that time of day (weekday) negates adding one hour plus (because of trafic) to the standard two hour arrival check in time making it a total of 3 hours; this covers your ass for traffic situations and any other nonsense. That is leaving from Pleonchit area which is pretty central in the city of BKK, any furhter west of that point, say towards the river, then add an additional 30 minutes...

Thanks,

Randy

Do airlines "business plan" for Swampipoon incorporate provisions for the airport failing to provide services? Are there penalties that AOT face from airlines being impacted by not having "working taxiways, runways, gates, toilets and temporary closures?"

Thanks

I say move everything back to DM; close the damned thing, and either fix it or burn it to the ground as a televised event !

Thanks,

Randy

When I flew over DM recently on the way back to Suvarnabhumi I noticed the old Tristars of Thai Sky Airlines still parked on the apron. I wonder if there is anything by way of Air Traffic Control coverage or other services at DM to (a) enable those planes to leave, or ( as a back-up should anything prevent planes from landing at Suvarnabhumi ?

As far as I am aware, Don Muang is still technically open to air traffic. Personally, I would like to see it reopen. Why take years and spend a fortune on expanding Suvarnaphumi when

a. Suvrnaphumi as it is now is not even finished yet.

b. There is a perfectly servicable airport up the road capable of handling 30 million plus passengers a year?

London, New York,Paris, Manila etc. seem to mange with more than one airport. Why not Bangkok?

You just answered your own question - If BKK were to open DM again they may open an even bigger can of worms, and that is on the order of planes landing at wrong airports! Can you imagine ATC routing your "inter flight" to DM instead of SVB and vis vers ! It is just a ticking bomb - watch this go off ! LOL !

I hope they dont try to pull anything til after my trip is over in a few weeks; cross my fingers on that one - LOL !

Thanks,

Randy

An AoT source said a prompt decision on reopening Don Muang could allow Bangkok to serve heavy traffic during the upcoming New Year and Chinese New Year festivals, as Suvarnabhumi airport could not handle any more flights.

Can someone buy this AoT person a clue. New Year is just 10 days away! You want to move some of the LCCs back to Don Muang when masses of people are coming in and already bought tickets on connecting flights and now will miss their flights due to having to transfer across town? Not to mention creating mass confusion about which airport their flight is departing from? Not a very bright plan if you ask me. I'm all for allowing the LCCs to move back to Don Muang if they want to, but expecting to complete a move in 10 days is simply ludicrous.

(Roulette) "Will you please put this hundred dollar bill on 'black' please ! "

If my plane on friday the 29th lands at DM I win double right !?

Thanks,

Randy

Dont "check" anything - just take a carry on - problem solved !

Thanks,

Randy

Thanks REBroker !

I am going to send you a PM shortly...

Thanks,

Randy

I have a TMobile US account and will be roaming in Thailand for a few weeks; is there service for us ?

Thanks...

I would like to give the cabbie ngun in advance of using the toll road; so how do you tell him "this is for the tolls!"

Thanks,

Randy

BTW, I just got up and it is 45 degrees F outside at 6am here in San Diego, just thought you might like to enjoy some "cool" weather !

All I see is ho humm ramblings about nothing as well; the klong is nothing but a shallow pool of mud and the tone of the thread really has none. I find it amusing though that the airline would spout off about cancelling the contract in the first place. Since the jet really has no competition; the Boeing jet is not even in the A380 class, should still have a clear viable market for which Thai would propose its use, unless of course their thinking on the routes it has planned for really has no viability, which means who knows what !

Thanks,

Randy

What's so amusing about it? It's a normal practise to receive more compensation/better discounts for future purchases from the company. For example, Emirates that has ordered 43 A380's has threatened several times to cancel their A380 order.

Airbus has much more to lose if airlines cancel orders since they haven't sold that many A380's and few cancellation would put whole project in jeopardy.