Thai's Suvarnabhumi To Be Promoted As "Smile Airport"

BANGKOK: -- Airport of Thailand (AoT) is set to promote Thailand's flagship Suvarnabhumi Airport as the "Smile Airport" for the region in the coming years, the Thailand news agency (TNA) reported Monday.

Suvarnabhumi Airport director Serirat Prasutanont also revealed that AoT plans to develop the airport and step up efforts to cope with problems the airport is facing such as insufficient toilets, taxiway and runway cracks, and insufficient internal services.

"This is to get the showcase facility back on track to ensure that both travellers and air carriers will be given more convenience," Prasutanont said.

He believed Suvarnabhumi would be one of the world's top 10 airports in the future when all problems are solved.

"Unless there are (unforseen) risk factors such as political and economic woes, and terrorism, we believe Suvarnabhumi will become the Smile Airport and the region's aviation centre in the future given the fact that Thai Airways International and members of the Star Alliance rely on the airport services and its geographical advantage," he said.

Nine airlines affiliated with Star Alliance that fly into and out of Bangkok daily - including Thai Airways, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines and United Airlines.

Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports, if put into service simultaneously, can accommodate around 80 million passengers a year, he said adding that no neighbouring countries can do.

On the runway and taxiway cracks, he said THAI pilots had made their own inspection and found the runway and taxiway remaining to be safe, and that some media had exaggerated the extend of damage.

"The finding will help boost confidence among people who plan to count on services at the Suvarnabhumi," he said.

-- BERNAMA 2007-02-27

Suvarnabhumi Airport director Serirat Prasutanont also revealed that AoT plans to develop the airport and step up efforts to cope with problems the airport is facing such as insufficient toilets, taxiway and runway cracks, and insufficient internal services.

Smile and ignore the problems, just like what happens to everything else.

Joke might be more appropriate than Smile.

Definately worth a laugh..... ...have they fixed the toilets ..Yet

Sure plenty are smiling all the way to the bank

I read it on Prachchart Turakij that she wants to accomplish it in 3 years, and I think that sounds reasonable. Suvarnabhumi, with all its problems, was already rated 3 stars (same as Heathrow) by a survey at the end of last year. So in 3 years, I am sure all the current problems can be solved and the airport could well be rated as a top 10 airport in the world.

After that will they add more toilets?

After that will they add more toilets?

I know you are trying to be funny....but I'll answer the question. From what I read, they expect to finish adding toilets in about 6 months from now.

I cannot understand the toilet problem at all. 'Influential people' have been crapping all over the Airport since its inception without too much difficulty.

"Airport of Thailand (AoT) is set to promote Thailand's flagship Suvarnabhumi Airport as the "Smile Airport" for the region in the coming years ..." What is wrong with starting TODAY.

Serirat Prasutanont should issue a memo to ALL the airport personnel - especially Immigration and Customs staff and TELL them to smile. After all, they are the first point of contact to visitors to the Kingdom.

Peter

After that will they add more toilets?

I know you are trying to be funny....but I'll answer the question. From what I read, they expect to finish adding toilets in about 6 months from now.

To me the Airport symbolises everything that is wrong with the nation. Had the money that went into peoples pockets gone into the construction you would have had a fine Airport, but what you have now is a complete joke.

Why the need to retrofit? This costs considerably more, and shouldn't be needed so soon after opening. To forget to put enough toilets in is shameful, they were so busy worrying about who would get $ from the various concessions that they completely forgot about planing the interior. Walk around it and it is so busy, some areas are so thin you can barely get two trolleys side by side past each other.

By the way i'm not knocking your country merely the individuals that hold it back at the expense of all the decent people.

Until there are enough politicians that truly want to help the country and not themselves things will never change.

3yrs top 10 airport???

Thai's Suvarnabhumi To Be Promoted As "Smile Airport"

He believed Suvarnabhumi would be one of the world's top 10 airports in the future when all problems are solved.

Keep on dreaming, Savanaboum will never get into the top 10

Even with all its current problems, Suvarnabhumi still got a 3 star rating from Skytrax. So I don't think it's a pipe dream that Suvarnabhumi could very well be a top 10 airport in 3 years (especially considering Skytrax only give one airport, Changi, 5 stars.)

After that will they add more toilets?

I know you are trying to be funny....but I'll answer the question. From what I read, they expect to finish adding toilets in about 6 months from now.

To me the Airport symbolises everything that is wrong with the nation. Had the money that went into peoples pockets gone into the construction you would have had a fine Airport, but what you have now is a complete joke.

Why the need to retrofit? This costs considerably more, and shouldn't be needed so soon after opening. To forget to put enough toilets in is shameful, they were so busy worrying about who would get $ from the various concessions that they completely forgot about planing the interior. Walk around it and it is so busy, some areas are so thin you can barely get two trolleys side by side past each other.

By the way i'm not knocking your country merely the individuals that hold it back at the expense of all the decent people.

Until there are enough politicians that truly want to help the country and not themselves things will never change.

Your last para defines nearly every country in the world. Those politicians who are truly dedicated to helping their country and not themselves, or else on an ego trip, can be counted on one hand in most countries I suspect.

Anyway back to the topic I came back in from Singapore Sunday evening, very nice smile from immigration, even advised to avoid the limo touts so must be improving. I parked my car there so no worries, but i was only approached once this time from a tout so I wonder if we are seeing a real crackdown ? Time will tell.

Personally I think Suvarnabhumi is much more preferable to Heathrow, just an opionion of course. And when T5 opens there, eventually, it is purported to have the largest airport shopping mall in Europe - shades of King Power here perhaps?

Thai's Suvarnabhumi To Be Promoted As "Smile Airport"

He believed Suvarnabhumi would be one of the world's top 10 airports in the future when all problems are solved.

Keep on dreaming, Savanaboum will never get into the top 10

Well, for a start, Singapore and HK have figures out the merrits of time - motion studies. The immigration forms and processing there of are designed to minimise wasted time. No writing of flight #, signing of stamp, non one needs to re-adjust the date stamp..... all waisting precious time.

If you look at Skytrax review of Suvarnabhumi, the higher rankings come mostly from staff attitudes and service. The physical facilities are almost always graded "poor" which is a big hurdle to overcome.

Also, Skytrax has only just started reviewing airports. Once the other 80% of world airports start being reviewed, there will be more 5 star airports and alot more for BKK to be compared to.

http://www.airlinequality.com/AirportRanking/bkk_suv.htm

If you look at Skytrax review of Suvarnabhumi, the higher rankings come mostly from staff attitudes and service. The physical facilities are almost always graded "poor" which is a big hurdle to overcome.

Also, Skytrax has only just started reviewing airports. Once the other 80% of world airports start being reviewed, there will be more 5 star airports and alot more for BKK to be compared to.

http://www.airlinequality.com/AirportRanking/bkk_suv.htm

Out of 17 items that got 2 stars, I can see only TWO, "Time/Distance to Boarding Gates" and "Walking distances - Arrivals, Transit etc" which are probably impossible to improve on. "Terminal Ambience & Decor" can arguably still be changed. The rest can defintely be improved over time. Actually a number of those 2 star items have already been earmarked by AoT as problems need to be fixed within a year or so.

Interesting to note that two of the things for which Suvarnabhumi got criticized heavily on TV, namely "Passenger crowding around terminal" and "Washrooms - Cleanliness / Presentation", got 4 stars from Skytrax.

Interesting to note that two of the things for which Suvarnabhumi got criticized heavily on TV, namely "Passenger crowding around terminal" and "Washrooms - Cleanliness / Presentation", got 4 stars from Skytrax.

Come on... thoses were not criticized only on ThaiVisa... But in all medias... Even thais.

However, yes with time situation can be improved. The only problem is that "time" is usually an... elastic concept in Thailand.

One example : each gate has 2 toilets. Men and Women. The great game is to guess wich one, of course, because no signs.

Last time I've been at Suva (22 february)... I've noticed.... 2 stickers on the wall. Written by hand. In thai and in english... to say "men" and "women". They were not here before (mid january).

That shows the elastic concept of time (since the opening end of september).

And the amazing never mind attitude, in contrast with the cost of Suva, and the so called "national pride"...

An other example : what do you see on ground floor, in front of the taxi queues ? Since september, I see some old "desks" (some pieces of junk furniture), and with notices, again hand written.

First you think : okay they have opened in a rush. No problem. They will fix it quickly. Skytrax will save us.

Five month later... the "scenery" remains the same.