Bangkok Will Have Two International Airports

[gburns57au]

The problem with Thailand is that they cannot and will not think before they act. They always have to find out later what mess they created. They presume, I guess, that immediate acting without thinking of the consequences is the same thing as being determined and having a strong will . . .

You should start a new thread with Robint.....

call it "The xenophobic about Thais thread"

[Tony Clifton]

Reduce King Power to the size of a som tam kart at each location.

[grazer]

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

I'd swap that around. Europe is closer to Don Muang, Asia is closer to Suwarnaphum.

[hardy1943]

Does anyone know when this change will happen?

[nikster]

Isnt this all just a glaring example of the thai way

... and all the whingeing in the world isn't going to change it. imagine the headlines "Thai PM finally listens to expat whiners, CHANGES THE THAI WAY".

Not gonna happen, pal.

So Thailand is stuck where it is, doing ah-OK but being overtaken by the likes of Vietnam and China as well as perhaps even Malaysia. You have to consider Thai history, the country was never invaded and so has a proud history. In many ways, that was / is good for Thailand. In others, it hinders development.

But looking at my own country in Europe, it's pretty much the same thing - getting stuck with some old fashioned traditions - they are being broken up, but it takes a very, very long time. Generations. So it will be in Thailand, too - although, somehow I see more potential for radical change in Thailand simply because they have less reason to be complacent compared to us rich, fat, and tired Europeans.

Other countries in Asia are probably a better inspiration such as Singapore and Japan. I mean, despite the economic success China cannot be a model for anyone else. But Japan or sgp very well could, Singapore is very close to Thailand in terms of history and mentality and somehow they are a first world country, and basically kicking ass economically. The downside is a very high suicide rate and a dying population because no one wants to have kids.

So you have to ask yourself- what would the ideal Thailand look like. I don't have an answer. I don't think the gross national happiness thing has worked anywhere, even in Bhutan where it was invented.But we'll have to wait and see... sorry for being totally OT here....

[Robbie Dye]

2 airports for international use....This is what should have been done in the first place.

Apart from the benefits for incoming and outgoing tourists in better baggage handling, less time taken for processing etc...It would have given them time to sort out the teething problems and ensure that the new airport was viable before they were committed to full use.....

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

The fun and games we can expect haven't even begun yet. Firstly it is impossible to have 2 airports called BKK, one or other will have to be recoded, and that is not an overnight job, will take months and have to be input on all flight reservations and airport systems and thousands of pre booked passengers suddenly find they are going somewhere else. Domestic connections will be chaos! The fun will start soon

[sjaak327]

2 airports for international use....This is what should have been done in the first place.

Apart from the benefits for incoming and outgoing tourists in better baggage handling, less time taken for processing etc...It would have given them time to sort out the teething problems and ensure that the new airport was viable before they were committed to full use.....

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

The fun and games we can expect haven't even begun yet. Firstly it is impossible to have 2 airports called BKK, one or other will have to be recoded, and that is not an overnight job, will take months and have to be input on all flight reservations and airport systems and thousands of pre booked passengers suddenly find they are going somewhere else. Domestic connections will be chaos! The fun will start soon

The problem stated by you is the least of the problems. Suvarnabhumi is BKK, Don Muang is DMK. This has been done the minute DMK was "closed".

Of course it remains to be seen what will happen next, but as indicated by another poster already, chances that Air Asia will use DMK are fairly big. The biggest problem will be transport between the two airports, because you can bet that most budget carriers will move back to DMK.

[Pink Mist]

2 airports for international use....This is what should have been done in the first place.

Apart from the benefits for incoming and outgoing tourists in better baggage handling, less time taken for processing etc...It would have given them time to sort out the teething problems and ensure that the new airport was viable before they were committed to full use.....

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

and any aircraft I land in goes to the old one

[Thaising]

Will they not need new equipent at DM as a lot was taken over to SUV from DM was it not?

Wearing Dr. Marten are very comfortable when walking around new airport and with Sport Utility Vehicle throw in for fights transfer will be great joys for connecting passenger between two airports.

[veteran]

:whats the big fuzz,TIT.

[tomyummer]

This is going to be great!! Why not just open ANOTHER airport? Ummm, what about in Talingchun? Then turn DM into the proposed casino, and Suv into another shopping mall! Plus let King Power run the new airport as well. A perfectly wasted opportunity to show the world of the capabilities and integrity of Thailand. And last I heard, they were talking about building a nuclear power plant in Thailand. NOT!

[chiang mai]

I wonder if anything has gone missing from the old airport and everything remains as was! I mean the very clear signal was given that Don Muang was to be decomissoned and few people I suspect would have imagined that it would have been returned to its former use. I trust we will not soon be seeing headlines that suggest Don Muang cannot be reopened as quickly as previously thought because someone has "acquisitioned" parts of its infrastructure.

[backflip]

"The problem with Thailand is that they cannot and will not think before they act"

Boy, have you missed the boat! The new airport has been under discussion for 40 years. They've thought about it, and thought about it, and....

[bkk_mike]

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

If only it was that simple...

You've got airline's like EVA, which land at Bangkok from Europe en route to Taiwan, and Qantas, and quite a few European airlines using Bangkok as a stop-over between Europe and Oz.

Far more likely that Don Muang will have specific airlines flying from it (predominantly the budget ones). Thai has already said they'll move most of their domestic flights back (which, I'm hoping will let them move the gold card international check-ins to take up some of the check-in counters used for domestic currently, and add the existing gold-card counters for the economy check-ins - I've never been to the new airport when it hasn't been a scrum at Thai's Economy class check-in area...)

If non-budget airlines, i.e. the old Flag Carriers (KLM/AF, Lufthansa, Qantas, BA, United, ANA, JAL, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, etc.) start flying from the old airport again, then I'd be worried that they've moved over because their pilots think it's unsafe to land there...

Edited February 6, 2007 by bkk_mike

[KireB]

See it as a win win situation.

Bangkok now has not one but two international airports! This, ofcourse, will increase their market potential!

A hub it will become, easily!

I think we all underestimate the Thais! Kind of smart, na?

[HOOD Robin]

Is this just my mind playing trick on me or didnt I read that they specifically announced that this was not going to be discussed on Tuesdays session.. Made it 100% clear in statements issued before the meeting that because the proposal wasnt detailed enough this could not be tabled or discussed..

And then they decide.. Yet more about turning..

Lets hear what dates they think this is going to start from then and when to avoid BKK and transit Changi..

Remember this : In a short future, U Tapao (Pattaya) is gonna be very busy as DM cannot handle all the stuf alone anymore !

And let the Airforce drop some bombs on SUV, that will be the best solution to get rid of it...

And the best time to do this is when Toxin's airplane will land there....

Then he will be history and many people (hopefully) will be happy.

[Pattaya_Fox]

"The problem with Thailand is that they cannot and will not think before they act"

Boy, have you missed the boat! The new airport has been under discussion for 40 years. They've thought about it, and thought about it, and....

They thought about how much in kick backs they could make with substandard work and materials and now they must be rubbing their hands in glee as they contemplate making a killing by `preparing` Don Muang...........yes they thought about it alright.

[srisatch]

Who says Don Muang is to be DMK?? Factual Source please..Yes it is a problem!!

[Galong]

It's going to be interesting to see who accepts responsibility... something that seems to be lacking in this otherwise lovely (burp) culture.

Now if only this will weaken the baht so I can change some good old US moola... I'm dollar-fat right now and this is killin' me.

[ovenman]

Who says Don Muang is to be DMK?? Factual Source please..Yes it is a problem!!

IATA, the organization that assigns such codes. This information is not horribly difficult to find with a simple Google search.

Edited February 6, 2007 by ovenman

[John K]

Actually this is a very Thai response. First the had an old airport, then they had a new airport, now they have two airports. Always moving forward here.

[stevemcqueen]

As Dick Emrie once said

........"Dad....I think Igot it wrong again....Dad!!!!!!!"

[Bagwan]

So Thailand is stuck where it is, doing ah-OK but being overtaken by the likes of Vietnam and China as well as perhaps even Malaysia. You have to consider Thai history, the country was never invaded and so has a proud history. In many ways, that was / is good for Thailand. In others, it hinders development.

Really! So 1941 never happened? The Japanese were never here? How you think the LoS has a proud history is beyond me. The Thai government accepted the gift of that part of what is now Cambodia west of the Mekhong to remain on buddy buddy terms with expansionary Nippon. When the Japanese crossed the Mekhong and landed troops in Prachub Khiri Khan the Thai government surrendered within two days. Only the Thai Ambassador to the US, by failing to deliver a formal Declaration of War, showed any common sense, decency and moral fibre. Much is made of the deaths of about 30,000 European and Australasian servicemen and civilians working on the Death Railway, but not a lot about the 300,000 Asians, many of them Thais, who died. Thailand was forced to make reparations after the end of WW2 and has only a small band of heroic resistance fighters to be proud of.

Thailand was never colonised probably because there was nothing here worth having. ASAIK the only ones with designs on the place have been the Burmese. In 1909 the UK ceded the southern Muslim provinces to Thailand so as to create an effective buffer against the French who misruled Cambodia. Since that date the Thai governments have not been kindly rulers of that unhappy area and are now paying the price.

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Other countries in Asia are probably a better inspiration such as Singapore and Japan. I mean, despite the economic success China cannot be a model for anyone else. But Japan or sgp very well could, Singapore is very close to Thailand in terms of history and mentality and somehow they are a first world country, and basically kicking ass economically. The downside is a very high suicide rate and a dying population because no one wants to have kids.

I fail to see what Singapore have Thailand have in common. Singapore wouldn't exist if not for the UK developing a swampy island with little to commend it except its geographical position. Under UK administration they, and present day Malaysia, prospered. Not the least of their achievements was the establishment of a corruption free Civil Service, something I venture that Thailand has never enjoyed. The fruits of the labours of the Singaporeans have been shared more equally than the Thais could ever contemplate. Housing, a health service, transport, education and the standard of living are light years away from what is on offer to the man on the Udon Thani omnibus.

I think you need to learn a little history instead of mouthing the crappy platitudes that Thai politicians come out with.

[britmaveric]

Good News - lets face it, this should have been done in the first place. No reason why Bangkok can't have two airports. This will able them to make repairs to new airport and get things done properly. Plus they can work on expanding new airport because its literally two small for the kind of capacity Bangkok needs.

Anyways I for one am very happy, I knew this would happen and I'm quite sure this will be a good thing for thailand. Its a shame that they didnt do this in the first place because the perception is well pure incompetence.

[frantic88]

With the re-opening of Don Muang, can you imagine the wonderful corruption and graft opportunities this provides the current powers that be. All the concession grants at Don Muang etc. Start the money flow, and watch the hand extensions - and they can blame it all on Thaksin - how convenient.

Love that Frisian flag Jaap!

[wintermute]

I guess we can add this to the growing list of incompetence in Thai officialdom. Ok, so the new airport was Thaksin's baby f*ckup but if the military junta bothered to look into it they would have realized how inadequate it is from the onset. Instead they went ahead and rushed its opening to soothe their own egos and pocketbooks, as a result Thailand has a huge lemon on their hands.

Opening up Don Muang again is hilarious as well. This is what ALL the budget airways have been advocating since day 1 of the new airport. The officials basically told them to ###### off, raised their fees, and look at what we have now..Gee I guess those stubborn airlines were right after all.

The sheer incompetence astounds me sometimes. I wonder if the officials in Thailand can remember to put the left shoe on the left foot in the morning.

[sjaak327]

In fact DM was closed thanks to Thai Airways board of directors, if I remember right. Earlier they planned on leaving it open.

And truly nothing wrong with 2 airports. Many cities have 2 airports, and very few people get confused to my knowledge. Agents don't need to be extra careful either as airports will have different codes anyhow.

I would say some airlines will move to DM because of lower operational costs, some will stay at SV, it'll give engineers time and resources to fix problems due to lower load (use only one runway while another is under repair, close off parts of terminal while repairing them, etc.) so really everyone wins.

And even if they can't fix the Suwannatanic, they still have an option of moving all airlines back to DM and turn the place into Thaksin Memorial Swamp.

I think having two airports is silly and totally uncessary. They should have done this the proper way and indeed have only one airport. The comparsions with other cities are useless. Let's not forget there was only going to be one airport, and why would they want to have two. Make it easier for passengers, surely that will never be the case. But because they did a piss poor job of planning this new airport, they are now forced to open the old one. But I completely fail to see why this would be good, other then as a temporary option, so that Suvarnabhumi can be repaired. After this is done, and they future expansion plans have been though out and approved, they can close DMK again.

[Lucifer]

London has four International Airports, five if you count London City Airport. All of them packed out. All of them expanding one way or another.

Two airports is a great idea.

An underground link between them would be iceing on the cake.

[seagullvacations]

Well folks all of this has hit CNN this evening so not only have we lost face in Asia but now the world and with all the details

[markg]

I'll bet you half a large bottle of Chang that DM has been stripped of absolutely everything of value/use.

Lets face it.......if you were amongst the last workers in an airport that was gonna be shut down/knocked down........you'd end up like a gang of gypsies and strip the lot.

Well i would anyway !