Getting up close to this old plane at DMK - how to get there?

[Grawburg]

Hello.  The link below is a photo of an Air Cambodge plane sitting on the edge of DMK. It's not on the museum grounds, but looking at google maps I can't figure how to get around to it without getting onto airport property. Anyone gotten up to the plane?

 

https://www.planespotters.net/photo/735567/xu-jtb-royal-air-cambodge-sud-aviation-se-210-caravelle-iii

[ThailandRyan]

Looks like it is in the boneyard of the airport, not sure why it is still there as it is just a rotting hull now.  The last old relic I saw was at Udon Thani airport and had been left because fees were owed, once they determined they would never see the fees the plane was scrapped.  This old one should be scrapped to, unless the Museum has lain claims to it and is raising funds for a restoration in order to move it into the museum.  Why don't you try and ask someone at the museum if they know anything about it and if you can be escorted through the gate if they have a contact.  Never hurts to enquire.

[walailak]

Hello there. 

I know exactly where it was. 

This is my post from 2017, I used to pass through it for years and finally decided to take some pics. 

 

Where it was there was no gate no guards you just had to be quick and take a pic.. 

I'm a long resident of Bangkok since 2006????

 

[Grawburg]

It's still there....Can you get a taxi to it or did you have to walk from a main road?

 

This plane was the jet that Lon Nol flew on when he was evacuated from Phnom Penh a few days before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975.

[digbeth]

I think you can take the road from the PTT station south of DMK, 

but you need a pass, anyone can apply for a pass and locals do use it to cut across the airport to beat rush hours traffic.

there must be local taxis that has the pass though 

if you have your own car document the pass can be applied here

 

[ThailandRyan]

28 minutes ago, Grawburg said:

It's still there....Can you get a taxi to it or did you have to walk from a main road?

 

This plane was the jet that Lon Nol flew on when he was evacuated from Phnom Penh a few days before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975.

I see you like History.  Just watched a true story of a family where 5 of the 7 kids survived the Khmer Rouge while over 1/3rd of the country was killed by them, it was produced by Angeina Jolie.  What happened in 1978 and 79 when Vietnam attacked Cambodia to eliminate the Khmer Rouge was awful with many children caught in the cross fire.  After the US left Phnom Penh and also pulled out of Vietnam, the Khmer destroyed the country without anyone stepping in to stop the slaughter.  It is also why so many landmines were planted by the enslaved children conscripted fighters.

[walailak]

57 minutes ago, Grawburg said:

It's still there....Can you get a taxi to it or did you have to walk from a main road?

 

This plane was the jet that Lon Nol flew on when he was evacuated from Phnom Penh a few days before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975.

Hi, I'm attaching a Google map screenshot. 

After passing Saphanmai BTS station and cross over the bridge you will see this airforce entrance. 

They are not scrict about having the pass since building the bts I haven't renenewd mine since 2019!and get to go through often. 

Once you enter the airforce you turn left and keep going, once you pass the only bangchak petrol station in there and follow the road, you will see the plane behind an open fence, on your right. 

As I said I used to see it for years until I deflcided to stop and take pic with wife. 

Since they're are building a new golf car park there and there is a lot of construction there going on I'm not 100% if the. plane it's still there. 

I m going out tomorrow, and since I only live on the other side of Saphanmai bts, I will try to go and have a look and let you know. 

Hope this helps. It's amazing someone is asking for such a memorabilia that I thought it was just junk

 

[Grawburg]

Oh man if you could confirm it's still there I'd be so grateful. I'll really be disappointed if it's been hauled off.

 

I lived in BKK for a few years, then in Phnom Penh where I developed a weird interest in the Khmer Rouge period. I'm now in Hong Kong and COVID restrictions have kept me away from both places for +2 years. I've finally got a return trip to both BKK and PP in June with a list of Khmer Rouge era things to see - including that plane. The plane was Air Cambodge's only Carvelle jet and took Lon Nol from PP to Utapao days before the Khmer Rouge entered the city in 1975. Somehow it made it from Utapao to DMK and (hopefully) remains there. 

 

There were some old DC-3's around DMK (so I've heard) that were part of the transport services that sprang up in the final year of the Khmer Republic. But I can't seem to find the website detailing where they are.

[The Hammer2021]

We have a historical plane here in Pattaya on second road waiting to  be converted  to a club  - Amazing Thailand.

[treetops]

10 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

We have a historical plane here in Pattaya on second road waiting to  be converted  to a club  - Amazing Thailand.

Restaurant and surrounding street food plaza called Runway 88.

[Lemsta69]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

Restaurant and surrounding street food plaza called Runway 88.

is that up and running yet? last time I went past was end of Jan and or was just the shell of the plane (747?) and nowt much else. is it an actual plane or just balsa wood ????

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Lemsta69 said:

is that up and running yet? last time I went past was end of Jan and or was just the shell of the plane (747?) and nowt much else. is it an actual plane or just balsa wood ????

No its not balsa wood, just saw a youtuber do an update on the area and it appears they are moving very slowly with the food plaza concept while other things around the area are being remodled and opened back up.

[mtls2005]

It has some historical relevance...

 

still rotting since 01.04.1975 when President Lon Nol escaped from Phnom Penh to Bangkok on board this ex Air France (F-BJTA) Caravelle...

 

 

[mtls2005]

While this aircraft is not at the museum, it may be worth a look if you're heading that way....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_P_TayfoIs

 

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

It has some historical relevance...

 

still rotting since 01.04.1975 when President Lon Nol escaped from Phnom Penh to Bangkok on board this ex Air France (F-BJTA) Caravelle...

 

 

I did not realize he arrived to great pomp and circumstance upon arriving.  This is quite interesting considering Thailands negative response to the Khmer Rouge on their borders and actually supporting them because they were afraid of the communist North Vietnamese possibly invading Thailand. Singapore also supported the Khmer as well.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_United_States_support_for_the_Khmer_Rouge

[mtls2005]

Was having trouble finding this on Gmaps/satellite view, was looking in the wrong spot based on what's been provided in this thread.

 

13.894563016232665, 100.59763960046119

 

Why am I not surprised that the public can gain access to a RTAF facility AND an international airport.

 

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

6 hours ago, treetops said:

Restaurant and surrounding street food plaza called Runway 88.

Oh good info - wish them luck

[Lemsta69]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

No its not balsa wood, just saw a youtuber do an update on the area and it appears they are moving very slowly with the food plaza concept while other things around the area are being remodled and opened back up.

thanks. I hope they put in some decent food stalls because i want to test the place out the next time I'm in Pattaya. no Thailand Pass needed right? ????

[In Full Agreement]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

While this aircraft is not at the museum, it may be worth a look if you're heading that way....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_P_TayfoIs

 

 

Many thanks for the post.     You've given me a new destination to  check out on my next trip to Bangkok.

 

Also, does anyone know anything about a similar plane I've passed a few times  on my way to Kanchanaburi?   It's parked right nest to the highway the number of which I can't recall.

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

On 5/15/2022 at 6:46 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

We have a historical plane here in Pattaya on second road waiting to  be converted  to a club  - Amazing Thailand.

Then there's this place on the 331.

 

 

[treetops]

13 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

is that up and running yet? last time I went past was end of Jan and or was just the shell of the plane (747?) and nowt much else. is it an actual plane or just balsa wood ????

Still a long way off being up and running as far as I can tell.

 

Ex CP Air, PIA, Orange Air and Orient Thai Airlines Boeing 747-200.

[walailak]

At Grawburg......

 

Good morning, 

 

I went to the site thid morning and I can confirm that the plane is still there!. 

We drove in, the gate was open noone there. Wife quickly took the pics. 

I'm attaching pics of today's visit Thursday 19th May 2022

Hope this helps! ????????

[Grawburg]

Fantastic!!!! Ok, I get into town June 15th and I'll head out there June 16th.????

 

Thanks so much for checking!

 

The new BTS line or Airport Link doesn't go to out to Don Mueang yet does it?

[walailak]

Yes it does since last year, 

We tried it when it was free but not anymore... 

We tried it all the way from Bangsue to Rangsit (end) 

 

https://www.don-mueang-airport.com/train.php

 

 

 

 

 

[Grawburg]

Ok made it there today. Took the Red Line up and tried walking along the service road to the plane, but the police turned me away at the road checkpoint. Tried walking around through a construction site and made it across the street from the plane, but couldn't get over to it. So walked back to the main road and found a moto driver who drove along the road, through the checkpoint, and up to the plane. He agreed to wait 5 minutes, but when I pulled out my phone to take photos he started panicking. He was talking so fast I couldn't understand him and my Thai isn't good enough to explain that it's ok - although I guess it wasn't ok. Fearing he would bolt, I took a few more pics and he took me back - 70 THB for the trip which was fair since maybe I could have gotten him in trouble. But I got my pics! ????

[josephbloggs]

23 hours ago, Grawburg said:

Ok made it there today. Took the Red Line up and tried walking along the service road to the plane, but the police turned me away at the road checkpoint. Tried walking around through a construction site and made it across the street from the plane, but couldn't get over to it. So walked back to the main road and found a moto driver who drove along the road, through the checkpoint, and up to the plane. He agreed to wait 5 minutes, but when I pulled out my phone to take photos he started panicking. He was talking so fast I couldn't understand him and my Thai isn't good enough to explain that it's ok - although I guess it wasn't ok. Fearing he would bolt, I took a few more pics and he took me back - 70 THB for the trip which was fair since maybe I could have gotten him in trouble. But I got my pics! ????

Well done for persevering.  Could you maybe post a couple of your pics?  Would love to see.

[walailak]

On 6/24/2022 at 2:09 PM, Grawburg said:

Ok made it there today. Took the Red Line up and tried walking along the service road to the plane, but the police turned me away at the road checkpoint. Tried walking around through a construction site and made it across the street from the plane, but couldn't get over to it. So walked back to the main road and found a moto driver who drove along the road, through the checkpoint, and up to the plane. He agreed to wait 5 minutes, but when I pulled out my phone to take photos he started panicking. He was talking so fast I couldn't understand him and my Thai isn't good enough to explain that it's ok - although I guess it wasn't ok. Fearing he would bolt, I took a few more pics and he took me back - 70 THB for the trip which was fair since maybe I could have gotten him in trouble. But I got my pics! ????

I could've taken you if you asked Me. 

Glad I helped you got the experience and the pics 

Would like to have a look at your pics to compare to mine. 

????

 

[d4dang]

might have been some undeclared freight on board? Who owns this plane? Why has it been sitting there since 1975?

[The Hammer2021]

On 5/16/2022 at 6:17 AM, Lemsta69 said:

is that up and running yet? last time I went past was end of Jan and or was just the shell of the plane (747?) and nowt much else. is it an actual plane or just balsa wood ????

It's progressing now but I don't  know any details  but the idea  is not  uncommon.  There is also a train restaurant in Bangkok  and maybe Pattaya