Should Suwanaphum Close Down?

[Emilio]

Just wanted to know what you people think they should do. As we have seen recently, problems are starting to show up one by one. Do we have to wait for a major catastrophy to close it down or what? Could we solve and fix the airport while operating it? Would we see construction workers around the airport again? There would be thousands of questiones to be asked. So lets us know what you think.

[jumnien]

In today's paper someone speaking for the government said it would cost 1% of what it cost to build the airport to fix the present problems. Not such a big deal to force a coup over really. I say give the armed forces 9% of what it cost to build the airport, fix the problems with the 1% and consider the whole project 10% over budget - every one is happy!

[Losangels]

I don't know how the 1% figure came about to fix the airport. How long will it take to fix it? What is the quality of the work? Do the authorities really want to fix it to last for a period of time say 3 to 5 years before having it to do it all over again?

Any local firm qualified to do it? Where is the money coming from?

Putting the issue of "face" aside should it be fix at all??

[kriswillems]

Acccording to the latest news reports fixing the runways and taxiways of the new airport would take 2 weeks and it would not be required to close down airport. Other reports say the cracks are superficial and form no safety risk.

The Thai airforce lost a huge source of income when Don Meuang (their property) was closed. The most serious cracks are probably the cracks in their budget. Re-opening Don Meuang would fix those cracks.

[jumnien]

Why not fix it; there doesn't appear to be all that much wrong with it other than the fact that it represented an achievement of the previously elected government which the military coup loathed. That coupled with the fact that mountains of cash drifted across the runway at Don Muang Airport offices to the Air Force Retirement Fund housed at the golf course on the other side.

[Weho]

I say close it down at once. If they can't do something as simple as putting signs or pillars in front of potentially dangerous escalators, just imagine what ELSE is a hazard.

Also, the arrivals area was very poorly designed. It is MORE congested than the arrival area at Don Muang... they had the chance to do it right, and they blew it.

Close it down, or renovate it to bring it up to 5 star Skytrax standards.

[bendix]

Of course it shouldn't be closed down. Of course it won't be closed down. And of course DM won't be reopened in anything other than a superficial supporting role, most likely solely for low cost carriers (and even that's highly unlikely, notwithstanding the BKK Post's obsession with the subject).

[kalaminsa]

Doubt that anything apart from superficial repairs will be done.

By autumn they will no doubt discover that there is more to do...

[jasreeve17]

Let's hope that the airport can stay open, repairs made and the "teething problems" that all airports have, go away. Bringing in some management from Singapore (or virtually anywhere outside of Thailand) would help too.

If the runways are truely a disaster zone and need ripping up, then who knows? My fingers are crossed that the runways are not that bad.

[tartempion]

The place is a missfit, the worst airport built over the last 50 years.

Enough details have been posted here, but most can't understand them, so it seems

NOT built for travellers, built for what, for who? You don't know??? really

Bet the runway and/or terminal will be (is) sinking right now?

[raslin]

I bet the cobras are pissing themselves with laughter.

This additional moisture won't help the sand under the runways either!

Local road repairs only last a few months at most so we all know what to expect.

Edited February 17, 2007 by raslin

[dekka007]

Should Suwanaphum Close Down?

In a word NO. I am there every few days and as far as the aircraft crews are concerned the airport is safe. There are A LOT less safe airports to operate in and out of than here that you will probably have flown into and have been "None the wiser" due to lack of coverage from the press.

Don't get caught up in the newspaper reporting hype. Listen to the pros.

Edited February 17, 2007 by dekka007

[raslin]

And I forgot!

With an admiral in charge of AOT of course there will be no problem with water!

[bkkandrew]

No idea whether it should be closed and I suspect that those in charge have no idea also.

Time will tell (along with the rainy season) who was right and who was wrong...

As for me, I hate the place!

[Mid]

[davethailand]

I've just returned from Phuket and from leaving BKK to Phuket and returing I didn't encounter a single problem with the airport.

Haven't used it for international flights yet though so for now I say it stays open.

[qualtrough]

The Thai airforce lost a huge source of income when Don Meuang (their property) was closed. The most serious cracks are probably the cracks in their budget. Re-opening Don Meuang would fix those cracks.

I have made this point on several different threads, but never so succinctly as kriswillems. In three lines he has summed up the entire issue.

[britmaveric]

Close the embarrassment and fix things properly, then re-open when its ready. That being said - its obvious they won't close it and do whats best for safety. It should be fun when rain season comes.

[kalaminsa]

Close the embarrassment and fix things properly, then re-open when its ready. That being said - its obvious they won't close it and do whats best for safety. It should be fun when rain season comes.

Did'nt they say that they fixed the runways properly after the last time the cracks appeared ?

[cdnvic]

Did'nt they say that they fixed the runways properly after the last time the cracks appeared ?

You mean the other cracks that didn't exist?

[britmaveric]

[cdnvic]

Yeah, those ones.

[HarryHacker]

As far as the runways are concerned, I'm happy to be guided by the pilots using the airport on that point rather than people on this forum who have not even used the airport.

As far as the rest of the airport, well the few times I have used it, it seems to be ok. It seems that too many people don’t have better things to do in there life than complain about changes and something new.

[jayjayjayjay]

Close Sawanabhumi and reopen Don Muang..... !!! Did anyone ever take a look out your window when landing and taxing throughout Don Muang. I have seen crazed pottery with less cracks in it than Don Muang has... I fly BKK-CNZ regularily, so have seen Don Muang hundreds of times over the last 8 years. I really can not believe it ever underwent a full international inspection in the last 10 years, slabs of concreate falling into the drainage canals, severe cracking at most taxiway intersections... Sawanabhumi is 100% safer even as it is with all this politicing going on..

As for Sawanabhumi, I hate it...and not for reasons of most complaints... To me it reflects nothing of what I do still love about Thailand, and there is much..bright vibrant colourful temples, roadside food stalls, warmth and friendly people instead we get dark-concreate, stainless steel and glass, glass and glass, unfriendliness, cramped western eateries, it reflects the worst of western influences on this culture... and where to get a Khao-pad-kai and a decent price!!!!

And with all this mud slinging......... Who designed the airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Soju]

As for Sawanabhumi, I hate it...and not for reasons of most complaints... To me it reflects nothing of what I do still love about Thailand, and there is much..bright vibrant colourful temples, roadside food stalls, warmth and friendly people instead we get dark-concreate, stainless steel and glass, glass and glass, unfriendliness, cramped western eateries, it reflects the worst of western influences on this culture... and where to get a Khao-pad-kai and a decent price!!!!

Magic Food Court, Level 1. They've got the full selection of your typical Thai food court, with most of the dishes in the 30-50 Baht range. My Thai wife loves the place and refuses to eat at any of the Western places there that she says are all too expensive. For me, the food is nothing special, just typical of what you'd get at any of typical Thai food courts in the shopping centers around Thailand.

[thai_narak]

it should close down. why? the runway and taxi ways are damaged, the passenger bridges are damaged, the toilets are leaking, the terminial building is a firetrap, lighting not sufficient, computer system malfunctioning, no safety license, etc...

[PeaceBlondie]

But is it closing? Is Don Muang re-opening? What is the latest flip-flop? Will Cabinet ministers start wearing flip-flops when they inspect the airport?

I have tickets in and out of "Bangkok airport" for late May and early June. I will fly to and from there from CNX. Hmm, I wonder how much time I should allow between airports.....

[steveromagnino]

And with all this mud slinging......... Who designed the airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zee germans.

It was felt that Thai architecture did not the knowledge to deal with detailed aspects of airport design such as sizing areas, specification and so on.

[A_Traveller]

And with all this mud slinging......... Who designed the airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zee germans.

It was felt that Thai architecture did not the knowledge to deal with detailed aspects of airport design such as sizing areas, specification and so on.

But as is so often the case, the original pans were then subject to 'local review' relating to materials, interior design etc.

Since somehow King Power group have occupied about a third more area then was originally designed one does wonder how 'zee germans' are feeling about it all now....

Regards

[peter991]

Short answer: It should close until the problems (too many to mention) are fixed.

Reality: It will not close unless there is a major catastrophy.

I am due to fly to BKK in early April. I am offering EVEN odds on flying into Suvarnabhumi Airport and 2/1 on flying into Don Muang.

Peter