Loy Krathong/ Yi Peng: Lanterns fell on Chiang Mai airport despite ban

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Sanook reported that authorities at Chiang Mai International airport were still collecting lanterns set off during the cultural events earlier in the week. 

 

They said that five lanterns had fallen on the runway, three on taxiways and six on grass verges at the airport on Monday night. Seven more were found on Tuesday. 

 

They said that clear signs in Thai, English and Chinese had forbidden lanterns in Muang district of the northern Thai city - yet tourists and locals had flouted the law. 

 

This despite there being the prospect of five years in jail and/or 200,000 baht fines. 

 

In addition there was a mountain of rubbish - mostly Krathongs - that 200 municipal workers and student volunteers were tidying up. 

 

It was reckoned to be at least ten tons of trash. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

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No surprises here.

Shocking news.

 

When does anyone here follow the rules? Police were everywhere and right amongst everyone lighting the lanterns.

From what I could see most lanterns were heading approx NW. Therefore any landing at the airport came from maybe Mae Hia/Lamphun/Ban Tawai areas.

5-7 PM down by the pedestrian bridge near Warorot there were many guards and cops preventing any loying of lanterns. A few hours later the sky was full of them coming from that direction. Maybe the cops gave up? Beautiful as always!

For just a few days of the year, it is the aircraft that should be banned from operating into and out of CM from sundown to sun up imo. It is such a spectacular tradition that it would be a shame to ban them outright. Yes, rubbish is a concern - but that’s a different problem to be tackled. 

If festivals like this are going to be banned, then we may as well all just stay inside our homes forever and not do anything enjoyable.

Loy Krathong fizzled out when they stopped folk wandering around, beer in hand, tossing fireworks left & right ????

 

Nearest thing to a war zone, back in the day ???? 

It seems that most people won't listen until a major catastrophe like a plane crash occurs due to the lanterns.

What would be worst case scenario? A lantern getting sucked into an engine on take off or like every other airport in the world having to deal with birds.

 

Never heard of an accident occuring from either.

The biggest risk, as occurred two years ago was high winds taking those burning candles onto properties, power lines etc starting fires.

 

Yet another small rule introduced to drive chiang mai off the tourist map....its one thing after another here.

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

It seems that most people won't listen until a major catastrophe like a plane crash occurs due to the lanterns.

Nah, they'll be back at it the year after the plane crash, guaranteed.

Best thing to do is nothing.

 

Best to wait for an aircraft to suck one into an engine and crash killing lots of people.

 

Then , I hear that the best thing to do is look for a scapegoat , arrest a few nobodys and seriously crack down the following year.

 

After a year , lapse into mai pen rai , rinse and repeat.

 

Amazing Thailand.  Sanook first and the devil take the hindmost.

 

Or.....don't chance it and close the airport on Loy Gratong. What the hell. Its only money.

2 hours ago, eyecatcher said:

What would be worst case scenario? A lantern getting sucked into an engine on take off or like every other airport in the world having to deal with birds.

ap....its one thing after another here.

One lantern probably won't do much harm but 30-50 lanterns will certainly cause damage to the engine or block the viewscreen of the pilot's cockpit when the plane is trying to land.

 

Look at the first picture, there are so many lanterns close to each other.

 

 

"This despite there being the prospect of five years in jail and/or 200,000 baht fines."

 

How do they find the scofflaw and enforce this one, even if they wanted to? 

21 hours ago, webfact said:

They said that clear signs in Thai, English and Chinese had forbidden lanterns in Muang district of the northern Thai city - yet tourists and locals had flouted the law. 

 

This despite there being the prospect of five years in jail and/or 200,000 baht fines. 

I didn't see any such sign.

Hundreds of lanterns were lighted next to police officers who didn't care about it.

If this is illegal they should start by teaching police about it and tell them to enforce the law.

On 11/13/2019 at 8:13 PM, EricTh said:

It seems that most people won't listen until a major catastrophe like a plane crash occurs due to the lanterns.

Even after a major catastrophe most people won't listen ...

On 11/13/2019 at 8:13 PM, EricTh said:

It seems that most people won't listen until a major catastrophe like a plane crash occurs due to the lanterns.

I don't believe lanterns could cause a plane to crash.

Just more false fear.

23 hours ago, EricTh said:

One lantern probably won't do much harm but 30-50 lanterns will certainly cause damage to the engine or block the viewscreen of the pilot's cockpit when the plane is trying to land.

 

Look at the first picture, there are so many lanterns close to each other.

 

 

Absolute rubbish. The chances of even 2 finding their way into the engines is slim to improbable.

a plane doesnt need two engines also.

And getting stuck on the windshield again impossible,how? ...a plane flies itself these days.

 

Anyway it doesnt really matter until next year

I have just returned from Chiang Mai and the festival was superb. PLEASE NOTE the airport was officially closed by AOT from 6pm to around 6am to avoid any disaster and it was during this period when hot air balloons were released, according to age-old customs. No doubt millions of Krahtongs were floated on lakes, rivers and ponds throughout the entire nation so why highlight rubbish collection in  Chiang Mai?

fun in tapae road

On 11/14/2019 at 7:30 AM, eyecatcher said:

Absolute rubbish. The chances of even 2 finding their way into the engines is slim to improbable.

a plane doesnt need two engines also.

And getting stuck on the windshield again impossible,how? ...a plane flies itself these days.

 

Anyway it doesnt really matter until next year

The idea that planes fly themselves is based on  fundamental misunderstandings of flight operations procedures and the limitations of aircraft automation. I do think that Lanterns could be a factor in a disaster. A flock of small birds have. All accidents are the result of circumstances and a chain of errors. They are definitely a hazard.

 

Here is one example among thousands. Recently diversion procedures have been updated for North Atlantic operations, quite different from other areas such as the Pacific. If the following procedures are not accomplished by the crew immediately there is a high risk of loss of separation/collision with other aircraft. The maneuver may or may not be able to be performed while autopilot  is engaged but there is no way the "plane can do it itself" THERE IS NO AUTOMATION FUNCTION ON ANY AIRCRAFT that will make the critical diversion decisions required and reprogram the flight management system as required. Pilots do that.

 

 

Thankyou Captain Birdseye for missing the point, which is about banning komloys for flight safety.

 

An earlier post mentions the airport was officially shut, by far the easiest way to maintain safety and ensure the city continues its tradition and prosper business owners.

But I come back to aircraft safety, it has to rank number 1 bya long way.

 

When was the last time a komloy created a problem with aircraft?

Ditto a pigeon, a flock of birds?

Ditto another aircraft

Ditto a drone,a parachute, ?

Ditto wind, snow,fog,hailstones?

Ditto hijacking?

 

A long time ago if ever at all planes more often and forced to land or worse thro technical faults with the aircraft systems.

Anyway its finished now, a week ago but you are still dragging it up.

I haven't missed the point you have. I hope you still do not cling to the foolish notion that "planes fly themselves". I cant find the picture but there was a Khom carcass stuck in an engine inlet a few years ago I believe it was TG. Even if one of these did not cause an engine fire warning, shutdown or failure they could certainly cause millions of dollars damage to the engine as could any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) hazard.  Good luck to all concenerd making a safe single engine landing with one of these China/LCC pilots at the controls we will need it. It would be crazy to fly into CNX at night on Loy Krathong so flight are cancelled. You mention other hazards like weather and parachute operations that to some extent can be mitigated or avoided completely. Drones have already struck aircraft even though there are rules but it will be one day soon we see a drone pirate cause a major incident as the misuse of these devices is widespread.The main reason "flying lanterns" were banned is the fire hazard. No sane nation would allow them so I guess we can enjoy the spectacle for the next few decades.