Cobra Swamp Is Reclaiming Bangkok's Showpiece Airport

[george]

Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok’s showpiece international airport, opened last year, appears to be sinking into the swamp on which it was built. The city’s old airport will have to be reopened and some flights diverted there.

The $4 billion (£205 million) Suvarnabhumi airport was opened with great fanfare by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, shortly before he was ousted by a military coup last year. It boasts the world’s largest hangar and tallest control tower.

More than 100 cracks have appeared in runways, taxiways and the apron. Thailand’s temporary Government is conducting an investigation into its construction at a site formerly known as Cobra Swamp. Hurried repairs are being made after flights had to be diverted to a former US B52 bomber base at U-Tapao, near the holiday resort of Pattaya.

As alarm grew about the airport, designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, Thir Haocharoen, the Transport Minister, was seeking Cabinet approval to reopen the Don Muang airport for domestic flights. Eleven of the 51 piers for unloading aircraft are un-usable because of the cracks. Throughout the 40 years since the new airport was first planned, there have been allegations of corruption and shoddy work. When it opened there were unworkable lifts, a shortage of lavatories, a leaky roof and large areas of unfinished construction.

“There is so much bad news about this airport and so much that needs to be fixed,” said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand (AOT), which is responsible for the site. “Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned.”

The news comes at a time when Thailand is struggling to maintain its tourist industry, which was damaged by last year’s events and concern about the military coup.

There are 61 problems and design flaws that need to be corrected at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (£22 million), according to a study for AOT, which estimated that the work would take six months.

A weekend poll in Thailand found that 48 per cent of people suspected that corruption was the main cause behind the airport’s problems. And 16.5 per cent said that they felt unsafe using it. Alongkorn Pollabutr, the Democrat Party deputy leader, called at the weekend for an investigation into subsidence under the main passenger and cargo terminal.

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.”

The temporary Government put in place by the junta and led by General Surayud Chulanont says that it will report its findings on the runways in two weeks.

Sinking feeling

Building work on the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, begun in 1904, was delayed 30 years as the marble facade sank into soft soil. It still sinks a few centimetres a year.

Shanghai’s massive construction boom was slowed in 2003 when authorities discovered that parts of the city were sinking one-and-a-half centimetres a year because of the sheer weight of skyscrapers.

Source: Andrew Drummond, Times Online UK, Agencies

[george]

SUVARNABHUMI CRISIS

Move to use 2 airports gets a mixed reception

Travel operators fear confusion, and traffic problems will hit domestic travel, add to their costs

BANGKOK: -- There has been a mixed reaction to news some domestic flights will shift from Suvarnabhumi Airport back to Bangkok's old airport at Don Muang.

Travel operators have urged the government to give a more detailed explanation for why the move is being proposed. Some fear city traffic problems will have an impact on domestic travel.

Many local airline operators have welcomed the idea to return some of their domestic flights to the old airport, as recommended recently by the Transport Ministry.

The move will be considered at the Cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

Apichart Sankary, president of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said yesterday the government should explain to the private sector the main reasons for a partial shift back to Don Muang.

"Otherwise, international airlines might withdraw Thailand as an aviation hub from their global network," Apichart said, adding that such reassessments could happen soon. In addition, Apichart said the state agency should clarify how long it will take to repair Suvarnabhumi Airport's cracked taxiways and runway.

Chareon Wangananont, head of the Domestic Travel Association, said re-opening Don Muang airport would cause air-traffic congestion because the two airports were too close to each other.

"Domestic travel is expected to decrease because of this change," Chareon also said.

And using both airports would confuse passengers preparing to travel both to the provinces and overseas. Travel operators and bus services would need more time to pick up their guests.

"Tourists will not be happy with this because its different from the original deal they made in advance, while operators will face more transport costs," he said.

Chareon urged the government to explain the true reason for moving domestic flights back to Don Muang because it was very big issue and the industry has been asking questions about it.

Many airlines including THAI, One-Two-Go, and Bangkok Airways are ready to return to the old airport for certain domestic flights. Others, such as Nok Air, PB Airline and Phuket Airlines, are still considering the move.

However, Thai AirAsia, a Thai budget carrier that is part of the Malaysian low-cost AirAsia Group, said it would retain its services at the new airport.

Tassapon Beileveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, confirmed it would not be moving to Don Muang Airport.

"We still want to move both domestic and international flights to Don Muang - not just some flights from our network," he said.

Tassapon explained that more than 50 per cent of their passengers were from overseas and would need to use Suvarnabhumi to take connecting flights back to other countries.

Moreover, the airline could not make a separate schedule for using aircraft between domestic and international flights.

"Each aircraft is set to be used for both domestic and international flights - so the airline cannot revise its aircraft usage plan."

Tassapon said the airline would need an additional budget to hire more than 500 staff, equipment and parts if it undertook the move.

Apinan Sumanaseni, president of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said the airline would move domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang within 30 days.

But the airline would continue to operate a combination of domestic and international flights at the new airport, such as connecting flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi.

THAI domestic services for Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi - with non-connecting flights - would be at Don Muang.

Apinan said the company had announced earlier it was ready to move some operations back to Don Muang and hoped that using two airports would not trouble travellers.

"Only a few local travellers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi need to use connecting flights so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem," Apinan said.

A source at the budget airline Nok Air, a sister airline of THAI, said the airline was considering using the old airport.

Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive officer of One-Two-Go, said the airline would move all their operations back to Don Muang. However, he said the company would have to invest an extra Bt40 million in infrastructure, including offices and ground services, as well as hire more staff.

Udom expected the business would grow by 20 per cent this year - double their original estimate of 10 per cent.

--The Nation 2007-01-31

[george]

SUVARNABHUMI CRISIS

Corruption 'could stem back to Thaksin'

Bannawit blames ex-PM for airport's problems but lawyer refutes claims

BANGKOK: -- The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is pressing hard on alleged corruption at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Admiral Bannawit Kengrien, chairman of the NLA's special committee for Suvarnabhumi issues, yesterday said that alleged corruption involving all projects could potentially be traced back to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Following the committee's meeting yesterday, Bannawit said the meeting had exchanged information with Democrat Party deputy leader Alongkorn Pholabutr and found that many parts matched.

This was particularly true of information relating to the baggage trolleys, the cooling system and the limousine concession.

The committee is reading all the building contracts in a bid to find out which contractors were responsible and to see which officials checked and accepted the works, a key move to bring wrongdoers to punishment, Bannawit said.

As seen from the information on corruption in all projects, it all could be traced back to the former PM, he added.

"The airport is like a birth-defected child and the person who brought this child to life is having a happy life abroad. We are here to seek punishment for wrongdoers and to improve the airport to be accepted by other countries," he said.

With the authority given to him, Bannawit said he could bring culprits to justice in three months.

Tharet Punnasri, who chaired a sub-panel probing cleanliness and the environment in the airport, reported to the meeting that many automatic fire exits were malfunctioning and would not open until the electricity was cut off.

Metal fire-exit doors could become hot and harmful in cases of fire and many air purifiers and air blowers in smoking rooms were not wired and did not work, possibly due to contractors making haste to complete the work, he said.

The terminal's 400-hertz PC cooling system was also problematic, as some sections of the roof were found to have high heat, which could be a problem in summer, Tharet said. The sub-panel would invite Airport of Thailand (AOT) technical officials to fix the problems, he added.

General Pathompong Kesornsuk, chairman of a sub-panel investigating the AOT-King Power contract, said the duty-free giant's bidding paper for commercial activities in the terminal stated towards the end that, besides the prices quoted, it was willing to pay in advance an additional payment worth Bt2 billion to AOT.

Earlier, King Power executive Wichai Raksriaksorn had said the Bt2 billion paid to AOT was an advance payment due to King Power's financial liquidity.

Pathompong questioned if this Bt2 billion paid in advance was because the company feared they wouldn't get the deal and said that, if it was really as Wichai claimed, the AOT must come out to explain where this money went.

He also said that King Power had used much larger spaces than stated in the contract. For example, it used 37,600 square metres for an area for commercial activities when the contract only allowed 20,000.

Meanwhile, Agence France-Presse reported that Thaksin's lawyer Noppadol Pattama insisted that Thaksin had not overlooked safety concerns in the building of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The interim government has blamed the ousted premier for a litany of problems, including some 100 cracks that have emerged in runways and taxiways.

Noppadol said: "I don't believe the former PM would have speeded up construction without basing the decision on the possibility for sound construction. He speeded up construction by asking officials to work quickly. That does not mean the construction ignored the rules of engineering."

Thaksin supported the military government's efforts to investigate the cause of the cracks to find the people responsible, the lawyer said, but the contractors, engineers and construction firms who did the work should be blamed if any of the work was substandard.

"The previous government and the PM will take responsibility for policy matters, but if a water pipe leaks and the former PM is supposed to take the blame, that is too much," Noppadol added.

The cracks at Suvarnabhumi have led the Transport Ministry to propose moving some domestic flights back to Don Muang Airport.

-- The Nation 2007-01-31

[Martin]

Why do they so stubbornly refuse to follow the leadership of the West?

London has shown them the way to go, with London(Heathrow), London (Gatwick), London (Luton) and London (Stansted).

How about them going one better with Bangkok (Cobra Swamp), Bangkok (Good Old Don Muang), Bangkok (Utapao), Bangkok (Phitsanulok) and Bangkok (Khon Kaen).

So often, over India, I have looked at that in-flight route map that they show and wished we were truly (not just apparently) going to land at Khon Kaen.

[brahmburgers]

Though it's easy now to throw scorn at the airport, I'd like to mention a few other perspectives;

1. I was a general contractor in California. Granted worked on far smaller gigs, but I know how if one thing on one job goes awry, then all of a sudden a bunch of inspectors and non-professionals seem to show up to probe every nook and cranny looking for the slightest problem - whether real or imagined.

2. It may have been partly the contractors who are at fault, if it's true they did a sub-standard job (construction and materials) - but I feel in the big picture the blame lays more on the planners - and no one's going to made to pay for faulty planning that took place decades ago.

3. For comparison, Dubai (and other members of United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf), are building several multi-billion dollar residential complexes on sand fill that are inches above sea level. .....go figure where that will be at in a decade.

[nikster]

I find this hard to believe. Clearly, building on a swamp poses special engineering challenges - now this one architect claims that the entire $4Bn airport was built as if on solid ground. It's hard to imagine that there was such a massive oversight, even with corruption and a crazy messy planning process.

Does anyone know more about this?

[LPCustom69]

if this wasn't Thailand, I'd say unbelievable.

John

[johnh101]

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.

[Khun Bob]

Looking forward to arrive back at the Don later this year - i know where the railway station is and the local buses go from - much more convenient for bkk centre...

Bit serious if 20% of the piers cant be used (11 of 51)

Amazing u-turnland !

[KireB]

Building on swamps shouldn't be a problem. It's the lack of engineering quality and planning that sinks projects into the mud! Which ace figured out that they didn't need pilons? Who's responsible for these decisions?

[yoshiwara]

....if the above contributions are true then it is only a matter of time before the airport is closed for 'overhauls' (who knows for how long?) and all flights reverted back to Don Muang. My bet is closure before July.

[STEELINOX]

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 !!!

[kmart]

There are a couple of power stations built in that area that have had nothing but subsidence problems even before commissioning, and have never worked properly.

There was just a clamor for land when the airport project was floated as an idea, the politicians got mega-rich before any work was even started. They couldn't back-track after that obviously.

[Artisi]

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.

Actually concrete and steel are capable of floating very well, however the problem at the airport is the under laying material (swamp) cannot carry the load of the structures and runway. The engineering reason for this is too complex for this posting but was not a problem if approached in the correct manner. The overall engineering problem is differential setlement as address by khun Sumet 's assessment - "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.”

[OzMan_Bkk]

Did I read it correctly ? Only 50% of people polled thought the problem was corruption. I guess the other half also believe in the Easter Bunny. Substandard planning, substandard materials and substandard inspections all fuelled by graft and greed. Further complicated by indecent haste to get the thing opened. Such a shame because the building itself looks great.

Let's hope two things happen. [1] That engineers and contractors can fix the problems satisfactorily and [2] The government [this one and/or the one elected at the end of this year] can find out who go paid what and bring the full weight of the law down on them.

This isn't about a few greedy people making a few baht anymore. This is about national reputation and safety. There can be no cover-ups or buck passing. People need to go to prison over this mess and soon.

[astral]

I thought PILES were the norm in the Bangkok area due to the mud.

This is certainly true in the city itself, where they pile down 30m to the

sand bed underneath when they build the skyscrapers.

[gudy]

Looking forward to arrive back at the Don later this year - i know where the railway station is and the local buses go from - much more convenient for bkk centre...

Bit serious if 20% of the piers cant be used (11 of 51)

Amazing u-turnland !

UHHH 20% in just 4 months...))))))) keep in mind its exponential so only a few months so over another 4 months 80%....)...i think its time to go there for some historical pictures.....look in the past there was an airport here... you're now on the roof........or maybe it will be a new tourist attraction

the TOWER of PISA 2 )

[laidback]

:D :D

Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok’s showpiece international airport, opened last year, appears to be sinking into the swamp on which it was built. The city’s old airport will have to be reopened and some flights diverted there.

The $4 billion (£205 million) Suvarnabhumi airport was opened with great fanfare by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, shortly before he was ousted by a military coup last year. It boasts the world’s largest hangar and tallest control tower.

More than 100 cracks have appeared in runways, taxiways and the apron. Thailand’s temporary Government is conducting an investigation into its construction at a site formerly known as Cobra Swamp. Hurried repairs are being made after flights had to be diverted to a former US B52 bomber base at U-Tapao, near the holiday resort of Pattaya.

As alarm grew about the airport, designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, Thir Haocharoen, the Transport Minister, was seeking Cabinet approval to reopen the Don Muang airport for domestic flights. Eleven of the 51 piers for unloading aircraft are un-usable because of the cracks. Throughout the 40 years since the new airport was first planned, there have been allegations of corruption and shoddy work. When it opened there were unworkable lifts, a shortage of lavatories, a leaky roof and large areas of unfinished construction.

“There is so much bad news about this airport and so much that needs to be fixed,” said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand (AOT), which is responsible for the site. “Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned.”

The news comes at a time when Thailand is struggling to maintain its tourist industry, which was damaged by last year’s events and concern about the military coup.

There are 61 problems and design flaws that need to be corrected at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (£22 million), according to a study for AOT, which estimated that the work would take six months.

A weekend poll in Thailand found that 48 per cent of people suspected that corruption was the main cause behind the airport’s problems. And 16.5 per cent said that they felt unsafe using it. Alongkorn Pollabutr, the Democrat Party deputy leader, called at the weekend for an investigation into subsidence under the main passenger and cargo terminal.

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.”

The temporary Government put in place by the junta and led by General Surayud Chulanont says that it will report its findings on the runways in two weeks.

Sinking feeling

Building work on the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, begun in 1904, was delayed 30 years as the marble facade sank into soft soil. It still sinks a few centimetres a year.

Shanghai’s massive construction boom was slowed in 2003 when authorities discovered that parts of the city were sinking one-and-a-half centimetres a year because of the sheer weight of skyscrapers.

Source: Andrew Drummond, Times Online UK, Agencies

Enough of the airport already..let it sink then you will have a new base on which to build. Remember this is Thailand. Everything is done half ass... Back to the old airport... Hope they put in a Starbucks

[slimdog]

Interesting article in the Nation....

Armed Forces share airport opportunities

Re-opening Don Muang was always on the cards; shifting some flights back means income for the Air Force

The re-opening of Don Muang Airport comes as no surprise. On the contrary, it was well-known among "the inner circle" during the Thaksin era that there was a plan for Bangkok to have two airports, as soon as the rail link connecting Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi was completed.

According to a source at the Transport Ministry, the Thaksin government told the world Thailand was only going to have one airport - Suvarnabhumi - to avoid creating confusion, while waiting for the subway route.

Moving all domestic and international flights to Suvarnabhumi also cleared away the gangsters who had benefited greatly from services at Don Muang.

With the decision to reopen Don Muang, the military is following ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's plan to operate two airports at the same time, although some details are very different.

The lack of a transport link between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang could cause serious traffic woes for passengers who board a domestic flight from the provinces to Don Muang and have to catch an international flight at Suvarnabhumi.

Importantly, it settles any hidden argument between the Royal Thai Air Force and the Royal Thai Army over interests generated by the two airports.

Built on land belonging to the Royal Thai Air Force, Don Muang generated huge benefits for the air force. One reflection of its control of the old airport was the fact that Air Chief Marshals were always made chairmen of the Airports of Thailand (AOT), operator of the airport. That continued for decades until Srisook Chandrangsu, the former Transport permanent secretary, took over the top job in the Thaksin era to reduce the air force's influence.

The re-opening of Don Muang follows the appointment of Royal Thai Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Chalit Pukbhasuk as chairman of the committee to re-evaluate Don Muang's capacity - right after the military staged the September 19 coup.

Back then, it was expected that Chalit would be appointed chairman of the AOT, so that the issue could be solved in favour of the Air Force. But the Royal Thai Air Force was very upset when Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr, assistant secretary of the Council of National Security (CNS) who represented the Army, took the chairmanship.

Through the appointment of Saprang, it was interpreted that the Army had taken control of Suvarnabhumi.

"There were some negotiations at the CNS meeting to reopen Don Muang. And facilitating the CNS decision is the endless bad news coming out of Suvarnabhumi, starting from cracks on taxiways and the runway. That paves the way for the reopening," one insider said.

Having two airports allows the Army and Air Force to exercise their powers separately.

Reopening Don Muang means the AOT will need to open bids for all ground services and facilities. A new taxi company will be required, while Thai Airport Ground Services (TAGS) - which had operated services at Don Muang for decades - could make a return, if it can come up with a preferable proposal.

TAGS certainly has the advantage over others to provide ground services, with all the equipment that was left idle after it failed to snatch the management deal at Suvarnabhumi.

Also returning could be companies that used to provide taxi services and companies that formerly made use of

the commercial areas at Don Muang.

Four months after it closed, Don Muang will soon come back to life - with over 10 million passengers per annum, if all domestic flights are moved from Suvarnabhumi.

Also coming to life again would be the old powers that caused chaos and headaches to travellers when Don Muang was operational.

After announcing the reopening, Transport Minister Admiral Theera Haocharoen said it was necessary to ensure that all bidding must be transparent.

However, it will need more than words to keep things transparent

source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/31...cs_30025532.php

Edited January 31, 2007 by slimdog

[tsanders]

Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's showpiece international airport, opened last year, appears to be sinking into the swamp on which it was built. The city's old airport will have to be reopened and some flights diverted there.

The $4 billion (£205 million) Suvarnabhumi airport was opened with great fanfare by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, shortly before he was ousted by a military coup last year. It boasts the world's largest hangar and tallest control tower.

More than 100 cracks have appeared in runways, taxiways and the apron. Thailand's temporary Government is conducting an investigation into its construction at a site formerly known as Cobra Swamp. Hurried repairs are being made after flights had to be diverted to a former US B52 bomber base at U-Tapao, near the holiday resort of Pattaya.

As alarm grew about the airport, designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, Thir Haocharoen, the Transport Minister, was seeking Cabinet approval to reopen the Don Muang airport for domestic flights. Eleven of the 51 piers for unloading aircraft are un-usable because of the cracks. Throughout the 40 years since the new airport was first planned, there have been allegations of corruption and shoddy work. When it opened there were unworkable lifts, a shortage of lavatories, a leaky roof and large areas of unfinished construction.

"There is so much bad news about this airport and so much that needs to be fixed," said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand (AOT), which is responsible for the site. "Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned."

The news comes at a time when Thailand is struggling to maintain its tourist industry, which was damaged by last year's events and concern about the military coup.

There are 61 problems and design flaws that need to be corrected at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (£22 million), according to a study for AOT, which estimated that the work would take six months.

A weekend poll in Thailand found that 48 per cent of people suspected that corruption was the main cause behind the airport's problems. And 16.5 per cent said that they felt unsafe using it. Alongkorn Pollabutr, the Democrat Party deputy leader, called at the weekend for an investigation into subsidence under the main passenger and cargo terminal.

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."

The temporary Government put in place by the junta and led by General Surayud Chulanont says that it will report its findings on the runways in two weeks.

Sinking feeling

Building work on the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, begun in 1904, was delayed 30 years as the marble facade sank into soft soil. It still sinks a few centimetres a year.

Shanghai's massive construction boom was slowed in 2003 when authorities discovered that parts of the city were sinking one-and-a-half centimetres a year because of the sheer weight of skyscrapers.

Source: Andrew Drummond, Times Online UK, Agencies

Enough of the airport already..let it sink then you will have a new base on which to build. Remember this is Thailand. Everything is done half ass... Back to the old airport... Hope they put in a Starbucks

[sun_sailor]

Maybe Singapore would like to buy the Airport?

Where is Thaksin when we need him!

[John K]

I am curious to see if they will decide to start the endless bandaging process or make a proper repair.

[Hollywood]

I wonder who sold the major amount of land (swamp) to the city ???????????

[PhilHarries]

Though it's easy now to throw scorn at the airport, I'd like to mention a few other perspectives;

1. I was a general contractor in California. Granted worked on far smaller gigs, but I know how if one thing on one job goes awry, then all of a sudden a bunch of inspectors and non-professionals seem to show up to probe every nook and cranny looking for the slightest problem - whether real or imagined.

I've worked pretty well worldwide on large projects and couldn't agree more but it starts earlier than the point when things start to go awry. There is never enough time, resources or money available at the beginning to ensure things are done right and management don't want to know about problems "hel_l the Egyptians built the pyramids without specifications and they're still standing". But once something goes wrong you'll have a veritable army of auditors and other instant experts crawling all over the place. Then you'll spend hours in discussions, meetings, writing reports that no-one reads and generally scrabbling around covering other folks ar5es. Then the task is to lay the blame off on some poor hapless sub-contractor and work out a fix which either he pays for or costs nothing.

But Suvarnabhumi's problems are real enough to warrant repairs and partial closure of facilities. I don't believe that no foundations are on piles. Nobody would be stupid enough to build the world's tallest control tower in the middle of an old swamp and not pile the foundations, would they? Please tell me they wouldn't. Pleeeaaaaasssse!

I still prefer the original name "nong ngoo hao" and it seems more appropriate than ever now. "Ladies and gentlemen we have just landed at Cobra Swamp international airport, local time is 4:15pm and the temperature a balmy 32 degrees. Please keep to the duckboards when passing through the terminal building and remember the skinny creatures with forked tongues are customs officials if in uniform or taxi touts if not".

[Udox]

SUVARNABHUMI CRISIS

Move to use 2 airports gets a mixed reception

Apinan said the company had announced earlier it was ready to move some operations back to Don Muang and hoped that using two airports would not trouble travellers.

"Only a few local travellers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi need to use connecting flights so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem," Apinan said.

--The Nation 2007-01-31

This is the part I cannot understand.

How can they possibly know whether a passenger is travelling to Bangkok for a connecting flight or not, be it with the same airline or (usually) a different one

"A few local travellers" ???

I would say a good percentage of the passengers from locations such as Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi are tourists and most definitely DO need connecting flights, especially with many Europeans now using Middle East airlines because of their economic prices.

Can you imagine landing at Don Muang, retrieving your baggage, finding the exit, transferring somehow through the centre of Bkk to the 'New' airport and checking in again - what a journey.

Quote" so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem" Unquote

What planet are these guys on?

Picture the scene at Phuket airport :

"Good morning Sir - which airport in Bangkok would you like (or need) to go to today" ?

[wilko]

Bad construction? Corruption?

I'm shocked and stunned!

[farangtoone]

In the first post it says that suvarnabhumi was opened by Thaksin but as far as I remember Thaksin was in america at that time ... :S What is the source of this news?

[John K]

In the first post it says that suvarnabhumi was opened by Thaksin but as far as I remember Thaksin was in america at that time ... :S What is the source of this news?

I think they are talking about the inaugural flight to or from he did some time in August, or the official documents. Everyone was in such a hurry to get it opened so they could disburse the booty.

[Rhys]

555555555555555555555555555555555555555

[isaanbrit]

Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok’s showpiece international airport, opened last year, appears to be sinking into the swamp on which it was built. The city’s old airport will have to be reopened and some flights diverted there.

The $4 billion (£205 million) Suvarnabhumi airport was opened with great fanfare by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, shortly before he was ousted by a military coup last year. It boasts the world’s largest hangar and tallest control tower.

More than 100 cracks have appeared in runways, taxiways and the apron. Thailand’s temporary Government is conducting an investigation into its construction at a site formerly known as Cobra Swamp. Hurried repairs are being made after flights had to be diverted to a former US B52 bomber base at U-Tapao, near the holiday resort of Pattaya.

As alarm grew about the airport, designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, Thir Haocharoen, the Transport Minister, was seeking Cabinet approval to reopen the Don Muang airport for domestic flights. Eleven of the 51 piers for unloading aircraft are un-usable because of the cracks. Throughout the 40 years since the new airport was first planned, there have been allegations of corruption and shoddy work. When it opened there were unworkable lifts, a shortage of lavatories, a leaky roof and large areas of unfinished construction.

“There is so much bad news about this airport and so much that needs to be fixed,” said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand (AOT), which is responsible for the site. “Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned.”

The news comes at a time when Thailand is struggling to maintain its tourist industry, which was damaged by last year’s events and concern about the military coup.

There are 61 problems and design flaws that need to be corrected at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (£22 million), according to a study for AOT, which estimated that the work would take six months.

A weekend poll in Thailand found that 48 per cent of people suspected that corruption was the main cause behind the airport’s problems. And 16.5 per cent said that they felt unsafe using it. Alongkorn Pollabutr, the Democrat Party deputy leader, called at the weekend for an investigation into subsidence under the main passenger and cargo terminal.

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.”

The temporary Government put in place by the junta and led by General Surayud Chulanont says that it will report its findings on the runways in two weeks.

Sinking feeling

Building work on the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, begun in 1904, was delayed 30 years as the marble facade sank into soft soil. It still sinks a few centimetres a year.

Shanghai’s massive construction boom was slowed in 2003 when authorities discovered that parts of the city were sinking one-and-a-half centimetres a year because of the sheer weight of skyscrapers.

Source: Andrew Drummond, Times Online UK, Agencies

I love that they're comparing Suwwanaphum to a project in Mexico started in 1904! LOL