Cobra Swamp Is Reclaiming Bangkok's Showpiece Airport

[Jai Dee]

Democrat Party proposing central committee to deal with Suvarnabhumi problem

The Democrat Party is proposing a central committee to be set up to deal with problems of Suvarnabhumi airport.

Democrat Spokesman Ong_art Khlarmphaiboon (องอาจ คล้ามไพบูลย์) spoke of the cracks on the taxiways and runways at Suvarnabhumi, and the inconclusive matter of whether to close down the airport partially or fully to make repairs. He said that while there is yet to be clarity the government should become the host for the problem-solving by establishing a central committee comprising qualified individuals from various fields. He said the committee would designate clear measures for solving the problem and must work in haste, in order to minimize effects on the aviation business and the country's image.

Regarding corruption related to Suvarnabhumi airport, the Democrat spokesperson said the government should inspect these cases and find out the facts quickly, to bring those involved to justice and prevent ill effects to foreigners' confidence in the country.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 12 February 2007

[slimdog]

Time to blame the foreigners.......

A drain should have been put in place to take water from beneath the taxiways and runways of Suvarnabhumi airport, says an expert investigating problems there. Foreign engineers might not be aware that the airport's site was once a swamp, said the expert, who asked not to be named.

Full story: http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/12Feb2007_news01.php

[John K]

Time to blame the foreigners.......

A drain should have been put in place to take water from beneath the taxiways and runways of Suvarnabhumi airport, says an expert investigating problems there. Foreign engineers might not be aware that the airport's site was once a swamp, said the expert, who asked not to be named.

Full story: http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/12Feb2007_news01.php

Interesting, one of the google ads at the bottom of the Bangkok post page said Fights to Singapore.

For the people that don’t know google ads change automatically depending on the content of the page they are on.

Well I can see the effort to try to blame another in not knowing that cobra swamp was a swamp and not just a random word chosen because it looked nice on a map.

If that is the case then when the rains come and the water level rises the damage will be sudden and severe. It will be a bit like walking on a thin plank of wood, a sudden crack followed by a sudden plunge.

[distortedlink]

I wager that the UK and America are loving all this, mostly exaggerated reports on corruption and incompetence on the part of Thailand. This only results in more damage to Thailand’s tourist industry.

Lucky for Britain’s tourist industry that no one mentions it’s disastrous safety records on the railways, how many killed in the last ten years?The millennium dome joke, London’s no go areas, the high risks of terrorist attacks; I could go on and on.

As for me, I will defend Thailand’s image to the hilt, no safer place in the world to be, reasonable prices, sun, sea, countryside, nightlife, daylife, culture and of course sunshine and smiles.

I am sure that the government will soon iron out the teething problems of Bangkok’s new airport.

[lannarebirth]

Or fill the holes with bits of broken asphalt scrounged from the side of the runway just like they do on some of the roads -

Perhaps they could just lay a tree branch in front of the cracks to warn oncoming jets.

[ColPyat]

I wager that the UK and America are loving all this, mostly exaggerated reports on corruption and incompetence on the part of Thailand. This only results in more damage to Thailand’s tourist industry.

Lucky for Britain’s tourist industry that no one mentions it’s disastrous safety records on the railways, how many killed in the last ten years?The millennium dome joke, London’s no go areas, the high risks of terrorist attacks; I could go on and on.

As for me, I will defend Thailand’s image to the hilt, no safer place in the world to be, reasonable prices, sun, sea, countryside, nightlife, daylife, culture and of course sunshine and smiles.

I am sure that the government will soon iron out the teething problems of Bangkok’s new airport.

Other that Thailand has a two and a half to three times higher murder rate than the US, which has the highest in the western world, there surly is no safer place to go.

And yes, i am sure that the government is going to sort out the problems with the airport soon, such as having to most likely rebuilt the runways from scratch as the whole foundation and drainage seems to be faulty. One poster here suggested to do that the whole ground has to taken off 15 to 30 meters deep, and refilled again.

[distortedlink]

I wager that the UK and America are loving all this, mostly exaggerated reports on corruption and incompetence on the part of Thailand. This only results in more damage to Thailand's tourist industry.

Lucky for Britain's tourist industry that no one mentions it's disastrous safety records on the railways, how many killed in the last ten years?The millennium dome joke, London's no go areas, the high risks of terrorist attacks; I could go on and on.

As for me, I will defend Thailand's image to the hilt, no safer place in the world to be, reasonable prices, sun, sea, countryside, nightlife, daylife, culture and of course sunshine and smiles.

I am sure that the government will soon iron out the teething problems of Bangkok's new airport.

Other that Thailand has a two and a half to three times higher murder rate than the US, which has the highest in the western world, there surly is no safer place to go.

And yes, i am sure that the government is going to sort out the problems with the airport soon, such as having to most likely rebuilt the runways from scratch as the whole foundation and drainage seems to be faulty. One poster here suggested to do that the whole ground has to taken off 15 to 30 meters deep, and refilled again.

Please say from what source you get your statistics for your quote?:Other that Thailand has a two and a half to three times higher murder rate than the US, which has the highest in the western world, there surly is no safer place to go.

Also, are you an expert on foundation and drainage.

I bet you can`t give a reputable source that everyone can check out?

[ColPyat]

Please say from what source you get your statistics for your quote?:Other that Thailand has a two and a half to three times higher murder rate than the US, which has the highest in the western world, there surly is no safer place to go.

Also, are you an expert on foundation and drainage.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_...ders-per-capita

And no i don't know anything about engeneering, but the poster who posted this, appearantly is an engineer, and expert.

[ColPyat]

Another one, even a bit more shocking, *Murders with firearms*:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_...arms-per-capita

I hope i did not destroy too many illusions there. But i think it's time now to get back to the original topic, sorry for straying a bit.

[Arandora]

"I wager that the UK and America are loving all this"

I'll wager that this UK tourist isn't loving this! If it weren't so serious it would be farcical.

Foreign engineers perhaps didn't know the airport site used to be a swamp.

Also perhaps engineers who designed runways didn't know they would have to be used in both directions (see Nation report).

If not corrupt, what kind of incompetent system of appointing designers and contractors as incompetent as these are alleged to be was used. I think designers and engineers all over the world will be shaking their heads in disbelief that anyone with any shred of professional competence could have been responsible for such basic errors, if indeed they are true and not just more smoke and mirrors.

[0Mix1up]

Or fill the holes with bits of broken asphalt scrounged from the side of the runway just like they do on some of the roads -

Perhaps they could just lay a tree branch in front of the cracks to warn oncoming jets.

forgot about that one

[sriracha john]

UPDATE... and with the rains approaching soon

SUVARNABHUMI / PANDORA'S BOX OF GLITCHES

Flood dyke sinking, in urgent need of repair

The earthen dyke preventing water from overflowing into Suvarnabhumi airport urgently needs improvement as it has subsided to a critical point, an airport construction engineer said yesterday. Surajit Surapolchai, the expert at Airports of Thailand supervising construction at the airport, said the dyke had subsided by nearly one metre, from 3.5m high to about 2.5m, leaving Suvarnabhumi vulnerable to flooding. Last year, the flood level outside the airport rise to about 2.2m. "Since the dyke was built, it has subsided to a point that is now critical. It's the time for us to pile the earth up to increase the height of the dyke," said Mr Surajit. Building the dyke, which is about 23.5 kilometres long, began in 1997 and was completed in 1999. It is crucial to flood prevention as the airport is at sea level.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Feb2007_news05.php