Two Thousand Lights Out At Suvarnabhumi Creates A Visibility Problem

[sriracha john]

2,000 lights out at Suvarnabhumi

Visibility at night a problem, say pilots

One-third of the lightbulbs at Suvarnabhumi airport are not working, causing visibility problems at night, and Airports of Thailand (AoT) has sought special procurement approval to improve lighting on the taxiways. AoT president Chana U-sathaporn said the airport is speeding up a process to acquire almost 2,000 more lightbulbs, which are expected to reach it as soon as next month. He said the problem occurred before he took office and is related to the procurement, which is monopolised by one company. An amendment would be introduced to allow AoT to choose from other companies, he said. The damaged lightbulbs account for one-third of the total system. International standards demand that damaged or dysfunctional lightbulbs should not exceed 10% of the total number, which is 7,600, an AoT source said. Many of the lights, which are supposed to last for 1,000 hours, have expired while others were hit and broken by aircraft because, according to the source, the lights are larger than normal. The problem started when the airport opened in September 2006. In April last year, the number of damaged or expired lightbulbs was put at more than 700 and the airport asked for a budget for the replacements, which cost 70-80 million baht. But faced with a procurement problem as well as a budget cut, the number has escalated to almost 2,000, the source said.

The source said the AoT initially responded to the problem by taking lightbulbs from non-operational runways to replace the damaged or expired ones. Lights along the taxiways have also been switched on alternately. Since it opened, Suvarnabhumi has been plagued with troubles including cracks on runways and leaking roofs. These problems have been thoroughly examined by a special AoT committee to see if there are irregularities.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/28Jan2008_news01.php

[jumnien]

Looks like Sonthi and his boys took the lightbulbs on their way out.

[britmaveric]

Day time landings only???

[Rinrada]

Still got the oil lamps as standbys......duck fat even............nice light

[Who, me ?]

next thing will be that they did not pay electricity bill......

[PadThaiGuy]

Only 10,000thb per light.

Sounds about right.

[taxexile]

how many thais does it take to change a lightbulb ??

AoT president Chana U-sathaporn said the airport is speeding up a process to acquire almost 2,000 more lightbulbs, which are expected to reach it as soon as next month.

Civil Aviation Department chief Chaisak Angsuwan acknowledged the problem.

ACM Chana said he would quickly solve the problem, also adding the present contract between the AoT and a lighting producer required the airport company to buy the bulbs from one contractor.

Besides, the procurement was made through IOT Joint Venture.

The source said the monopoly was not a problem _ it was a management problem

Thai Airways International pilot Thanit Promsathit said the present condition was not considered dangerous

The investigation has made AoT staff reluctant to continue their routines, including the process to buy new lightbulbs, said the source.

[Ricardo]

International standards demand that damaged or dysfunctional lightbulbs should not exceed 10% of the total number, which is 7,600, an AoT source said. Many of the lights, which are supposed to last for 1,000 hours, have expired while others were hit and broken by aircraft because, according to the source, the lights are larger than normal.

The source said the AoT initially responded to the problem by taking lightbulbs from non-operational runways to replace the damaged or expired ones.

There are runways at Suwarnabhumi which are completely non-operational ? Where ? !

Looks like Sonthi and his boys took the lightbulbs on their way out.

Or perhaps that the project, which was under DL's personal-supervision, to avoid any possibility of corruption, may have installed sub-standard bulbs or non-international-standard lights ! Surely not because they were cheaper, or came with larger brown-envelopes attached, I mean - DL would never let anyone compromise safety-standards in exchange for a pay-off ?

[BKKSoidog]

Only 10,000thb per light.

Sounds about right.

More like 100,000 per light.

[dekka007]

non-operational runways

Should read non-operational Taxiways. Reporting upto its usual standard.

[Scott]

Maybe since it's an airport, they could get the lights from overseas and fly them in!

Then they can have a meeting to decide who should install them.

Then a subcommittee can be set up to consider the installation.

Then........

or perhaps each Burmese who is caught on the runways should have to do community service by changing light bulbs!

[zink]

Maybe since it's an airport, they could get the lights from overseas and fly them in!

Then they can have a meeting to decide who should install them.

Then a subcommittee can be set up to consider the installation.

Then........

or perhaps each Burmese who is caught on the runways should have to do community service by changing light bulbs!

First they need to get extra money from goverment so they can pay 100000B (over $3000!) for each lightbulb.

[Jandajoy]

SOooooooo,

That's why they didn't see the cracks in the runways, or the guy stowing himself away, or the instructions for the x ray machines, or the manual for the rotating doors, or the sleeping security staff, or the lines for the toilets.

All is explained.

Praise the lord and pass the brown envelope

[HarryHacker]

First they need to get extra money from goverment so they can pay 100000B (over $3000!) for each lightbulb.

To be fair, its hardly surprising these lights cost as much as $3000 each, after all they are a specialised product.

[zink]

First they need to get extra money from goverment so they can pay 100000B (over $3000!) for each lightbulb.

To be fair, its hardly surprising these lights cost as much as $3000 each, after all they are a specialised product.

Even if they are specialised products, over $3000 for each lamp is a very high price. For example here: http://www.oksolar.com/n_cart/search.asp?cat=Airfield most of airport related lamps have prices ranging from $500 to $1500. I wouldn't be suprised if AoT officials would take a large part of allocated money to themselves.

[madjbs]

I wouldn't be suprised if AoT officials would take a large part of allocated money to themselves.

You think they would advertise the fact by telling newspapers all the details do you? Do you have any kind of evidence this might be the case or are you just writing pure rubbish?

[vam-pire]

Greed, corruption, stealing and telling lies are the order of the day.

What a great nation this is

VP

[chicowoodduck]

Only 10,000thb per light.

Sounds about right.

And 20,000THB for a toilet seat? Perhaps they could do a lend/lease with the US Air Force?

[torrenova]

I wouldn't be suprised if AoT officials would take a large part of allocated money to themselves.

You think they would advertise the fact by telling newspapers all the details do you? Do you have any kind of evidence this might be the case or are you just writing pure rubbish?

Evidence ? This is Thailand, there is a contract to be awarded, something goes wrong, the lamps are not standard size, there are problems with cashflow etc. Of course there would have been some corruption. I mean, the whole airport was just a means of enriching certain people at the nation's expense.

[madjbs]

Sure there is corruption, I just thought it sounded silly to write slanderous speculation when the original article didn’t even hint on it. It gets a bit repetitive when the "pocketing the money" line becomes the standard response for all and everything.

[Jandajoy]

Sure there is corruption, I just thought it sounded silly to write slanderous speculation when the original article didn’t even hint on it. It gets a bit repetitive when the "pocketing the money" line becomes the standard response for all and everything.

Right on......

We all know that it's as corrupt as all fuggery. we also know that no one will ever be bought to account. And do we care? Yes. But not so much that it stops us wanting to live in the LOS which, in my inexperienced view, is a top place and I intend to stay. All he corruption stuff just gives us things to talk about so I thank them from the botton of my glass.

pip pip

[PadThaiGuy]

The litebulbs are imported....The corrupt Thai Customs/Duty department are surely getting a piece of the action too.

Nothing gets thru that dept without some under the table payments.

[HarryHacker]

The litebulbs are imported....The corrupt Thai Customs/Duty department are surely getting a piece of the action too.

Nothing gets thru that dept without some under the table payments.

Nothing? Absolute nonsense, everything has a value and the import duty has to be paid, simple as that.

The company I work for imports many products and we never pay 'under the table', we pay the correct amount of duty only. No delay, no problem, Furthermore, if we need to import a component that will be re-exported, then we get the original duty returned without any problem.

In my experience, those who I have know 'pay under the table' are trying to save/cheat the correct amount of duty.

Runway Lighting? I have no idea of the duty but I would not be surprised if it was quite high.

[Ricardo]

If the runways/taxiways are airside, they are surely in the Duty-free part of the airport, so why should there be any Customs-Duty ?

I love the part about needing an extra budget, from the government, for something which is a normal running-cost consumable, and surely included in the regular-budget already. Or don't AAT include running-costs, when working-out what to charge to airlines & passengers, to cover their operations and produce an overall-surplus ?

[PadThaiGuy]

The litebulbs are imported....The corrupt Thai Customs/Duty department are surely getting a piece of the action too.

Nothing gets thru that dept without some under the table payments.

Nothing? Absolute nonsense, everything has a value and the import duty has to be paid, simple as that.

The company I work for imports many products and we never pay 'under the table', we pay the correct amount of duty only. No delay, no problem, Furthermore, if we need to import a component that will be re-exported, then we get the original duty returned without any problem.

In my experience, those who I have know 'pay under the table' are trying to save/cheat the correct amount of duty.

Runway Lighting? I have no idea of the duty but I would not be surprised if it was quite high.

I have a feeling the Co you work for is greasing someones palm out there.

Everything takes a hit from the cargo mafia unless you have some Thai general/cop or bigshot on board to intimidate them.

Most shipments I have recieved, have had some cash payment/no reciept clause before handing over the goods.

They also bog down the process and hit you up for storage too.

Anyway.. back to the Airport Runway Lights fiasco.

Shouldn't a maintenence crew have this on their regular 'to do' list?

How can that many be out already?... unless there is a problem with the quality control/workmanship during initial installation.

[Payboy]

Shouldn't a maintenence crew have this on their regular 'to do' list?

i suppose they dont work night shifts....

[PadThaiGuy]

Recall the Thai Air crash in 1998 at Surat Thani.

Some landing aids and runway lights were not in order I recall.

[dekka007]

Flew into Bangkok early this morning. There are no RUNWAY lights out of commission on both runways. The stated lights are simply taxiway lighting which is no big deal really and conditions for taxiing are fine. There is a lot of WIP on some taxiways but that is normal at most airports and they are simply moving the lighting from the WIP areas to operational.

Total press nonsense made by journalists who have no idea what they are talking about.

[sriracha john]

Flew into Bangkok early this morning. There are no RUNWAY lights out of commission on both runways. The stated lights are simply taxiway lighting which is no big deal really and conditions for taxiing are fine.

As long as they don't try to move any new Airbus's at night? They seem to have problems even in broad daylight.

A tip of an Airbus A380's wing scraped a repair building of the Suvarnabhumi Airport during its test fly on Saturday morning.

Airbus let Thai Airways International (THAI) use the world's largest passenger plane in the trial flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

The plane - which arrived in Thailand on Friday as part of an Asian tour to promote sales - carried 150 VIP guests, businessmen and reporters. It was scheduled to leave the airport at 9.45am.

Its tip hit the building when it was on the taxiway, officials said.

The pilots were not blamed for the damage. Mr Apinan said the accident occurred because the jet is so large, needing more space on the taxiway.

- Bangkok Post

[ilyushin]

I will extend a discount to AoT on the air field lights. Have a stock ready to go.

Problem solved