Suvarnabhumi Airport Delayed

[george]

SUVARNABHUMI CONSTRUCTION HICCUPS

Airport opening moved back to `next July at the latest'

BANGKOK: -- After keeping mum on just how long it would be delayed, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared yesterday the opening of Suvarnabhumi international airport would be postponed to no later than July of next year.

The prime minister picked yesterday's visit to the airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phi district to announce the new schedule.

``After the assessment on the construction progress, the airport can be opened either in June or July 2006 at the latest,'' he said after chairing a committee responsible for the airport, including airport officials and construction firms.

``The delay is common for new airports. They cannot be opened on schedule,'' Mr Thaksin said. The delay has long been expected by officials and building firms given that work is behind schedule. One of the concerns has been the elevated road leading to the airport terminal which will only be completed by Feb 9 of next year, according to the prime minister.

Mr Thaksin had previously set Sept 29 this year as the launch date for the new airport. Then he retracted his statement, saying what he meant was the deadline for all construction jobs to be done.

After inspecting construction at the site, including work inside the terminal, at the concourse and on the conveyor belts for nearly two hours, Mr Thaksin said he was confident a substantial amount of work would be complete by Sept 29, but final touches on details before handing the project over to New Bangkok International Airport Co would take some time afterwards. He also went inside the departure terminal to see the check-in counters and the testing of the conveyor belts.

After the construction, the airport must transfer all systems from Don Muang airport, and it then needs a test-run and approval from the International Civil Aviation Organisation for commercial use.

When most construction projects are finished in the next two months, including runways, Mr Thaksin said he would be one of the passengers on a plane testing a landing on Sept 29 and then lead runners onto the runways in a marathon event to be organised that day.

The New Year countdown would also be held at the new airport, he said.

With the capacity to serve 45 million passengers, Suvarnabhumi, whose construction cost is almost 120 billion baht, will replace Don Muang and is touted to become the aviation hub of Southeast Asia, competing with Singapore, Malaysia and even Hong Kong.

It will be equipped with the controversial CTX 9000 bomb scanners. The first two of the 26 machines are due to arrive today .

Despite the delay, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said he was satisfied with the construction progress and said the prime minister had agreed to join monthly talks with airport officials and construction firms to resolve any problems going forward.

Key discussion points during the meeting at the airport site were the rising raw material costs mentioned by construction companies and the payment delay for work related to the luggage bomb detectors, said a source at the talks.

Mr Thaksin refused to help construction firms in terms of easing higher costs, saying they had to honour the agreements they had signed with the airport agency.

Thawatchai Suthiprapha, the project manager of ITO Joint Venture, the consortium building Suvarnabhumi, said he would hold talks with GE InVision on plans to install the CTX machines today.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-29

[george]

SUVARNABHUMI SAGA:

Airport will open late, PM admits

Launch date for Bt150-billion gateway to be delayed up to eight months

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday admitted for the first time that Suvarnabhumi Airport would miss its scheduled opening on September 29 by as much as eight months, due to delays in several major peripheral projects.

“It’s normal for delays at a new international airport. But if the opening has to be delayed to make security and structural work perfect, that is acceptable to me,” he said.

The most delayed project is the construction of elevated ramps at the front of the main passenger-terminal building, he said.

The job will only be half finished on September 29 and will be fully completed three months later, he said.

The construction work in front of the cargo building will be completed by November, but the landscaping and gardening cannot be done until all the heavy machinery and vehicles are moved out of the way, he said.

Thaksin said he would hasten all unfinished construction projects so that they were completed by February 9 at the latest.

“We will try not to delay commercial operations more than six to eight months, but the first test flight is still on September 29,” he said.

He said the contractors of all major construction projects had assured him that they would be finished by December 29, in time for him to host a New Year countdown ceremony at the Bt152 billion airport on December 31.

The premier said he would be on board the first plane as it landed on the main eastern runway.

A marathon will be held on the main western runway, he added.

Thaksin was speaking during a 90-minute inspection tour of the airport.

He was accompanied on the tour by Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreankit, Airports of Thailand managing director Srisook Chandrangsu and all the project contractors.

After September 29, a series of test operations called Operational Readiness and Transfer will be conducted with officials of all major international airlines.

In a related development, the first two CTX bomb-detection machines will arrive today - the first at 9am and the second at noon.

Thaksin said he had assigned Suriya to preside over the acceptance ceremony, which senators and opposition MPs were welcome to join.

He also repeated his vow to blacklist contractors from future government projects if the projects under their control were further delayed after September 29.

Suriya said 30 projects were expected to be completed on time and seven were still behind schedule.

During his inspection of the luggage-conveyer system, Thaksin praised the so-called “RF system”, which will be used to identify individual baggage instead of microchip-embedded tags.

He said each RF module cost just Bt20 and could be made locally.

--The Nation 2005-07-29

[stumonster]

I think you spelt hickups incorrectly george , instead of hi you should have used <deleted> ....

watching mr 't's press conferences on television , he seems to only have about 6 or 7 reporters there - Has he blackbanned the ones that actually ask him questions about his ludicrous statements?

[Bangkok Barry]

Am I right in thinking that the new airport will only handle international flights, and that passengers will have to be shuttled (by road, of course) to the old airport for their domestic connections? Or has that warped thinking changed?

If not, the chance of Bangkok becoming the airport hub of SE Asia over airports such as Singapore, KL and HK, where passengers can just walk to another gate, is approximately zero.

[corkscrew]

Am I right in thinking that the new airport will only handle international flights, and that passengers will have to be shuttled (by road, of course) to the old airport for their domestic connections? Or has that warped thinking changed?

If not, the chance of Bangkok becoming the airport hub of SE Asia over airports such as Singapore, KL and HK, where passengers can just walk to another gate, is approximately zero.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All flights (International and Domestic) will come and go from the new airport.

[sriracha john]

Now that it is about halfway completed, the new airport is like the Hopewell Project more and more...

Perhaps my great grandchildren will someday be able to use it, sometime in 2095.

[h90]

"He said each RF module cost just Bt20 and could be made locally"

Everyone remember: the first two years of operation only use handlaguage!

[Beer-diow, khao-neow, mai-an!]

...on an unrelated topic, do I smell a conspiracy? Last night Mr T was on TV with Khun Anand, who took issue with his stance on the south in front of a big national audience. And today the link to that story on both the Bangkok Post and Nation websites - and only that story - is down....

...watch out for the thought police?

[ilyushin]

With a massive undertaking like the NBIA ( Suvarnabhumi International Airport ) everyone should consider delays. I would rather have news of delays than failures of the system.

The entire airport will function much like our bodies, some develop faster than others, right?

I expect 60% of the current traffic to be gradually moved and then 40%. That is when the airport opens.

Budget carriers, cargo, technical stops, VIP and charters could continue in Don Muang also they have the capacity to do maintenance.

[AndyFarang]

All flights (International and Domestic) will come and go from the new airport.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If all flights will go from the new one, does anyone know if that means NO flights will continue at Don Muang, not even freight? Or will there be only a few flights per day for maintenance? Would have thought they would do something with the place since they have the runways there, and such a large area. Maybe the gold course will be extended?

I wonder if the area around Don Muang would now be a good place to live given that the incessant noise from above would stop altogether...........

[ilyushin]

Certainly there will be flights through Don Muang. Unscheduled and charter flights. I expect domestic cargo and international cargo to continue until they can phase it out.

RTAF and Police I suspect will continue as the RTAF HQ is located at Don Muang.

[sriracha john]

...on an unrelated topic, do I smell a conspiracy? Last night Mr T was on TV with Khun Anand, who took issue with his stance on the south in front of a big national audience. And today the link to that story on both the Bangkok Post and Nation websites - and only that story - is down....

...watch out for the thought police?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Apparently back up:

Published on July 29, 2005

Former PM and current premier pull no punches over decree in national broadcast

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) chairman Anand Panyarachun went toe-to-toe last night, airing their differences over the controversial executive decree aimed at restoring law and order in the restive South.

In what was supposed to be an event to show the public that the two leading national figures tasked with restoring peace in the three southernmost provinces were united, Thaksin and Anand did not pull their punches and stuck by their reasoning on how the problem came about.

“The local community sees this decree as a licence to kill,” said Anand, which drew a quick interruption from Thaksin to insist that the highly disputed decree was not as bad as it seemed.

Anand said he was troubled by two stipulations, one granting immunity to state officials for actions performed in the line of duty and another that gives the government the right to censure the media.

In one of his most subtle and probably strongest messages to the government, Anand pointed out that a relatively high 74 per cent of eligible voters in the South had turned out in the last general election because they still had faith in the country’s system of governance. Yet not one of the 14 candidates from the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party was elected.

Thaksin defended the decree on the grounds that law and order must be upheld, and blasted its critics.

Thaksin suggested that it was frustrating because many villagers knew who the killers were but refused to come forward and point them out to the state officials.

Anand, on the other hand, said he was concerned with the abuse of power by government officials. The burden is on the government to restore much-needed trust and respect before such cooperation can be offered to officials, he said.

The former prime minister pointed to the abduction of suspects by government officials, the disappearance of hundreds of people from the region and the slow workings of the legal system as the causes for the mistrust among the local community.

He said these issues had led many in the region to believe that those behind the violence were state agency officials.

Anand urged the government to be transparent and not to shy away from engaging the international community, including the United Nations, which is interested in the problem in the South.

[Chiuey]

I've heard rumors that the runways are not stable, and that they are sinking more than expected and so are the terminals. Granted I can't verify this source, but it's an interesting spin on why the delays of 6-8 months as construction is near completion. I know that there are more stuff to be done, with a good deal of systems that have to be connected and tested as well as personell trained for emergency proceedures, but I get the distinct feeling there's more to the story than being let on by "Mr. I pity the fool..." =P (Mr. T). But ofcourse that's nothing new to those of us who are used to being lied to by politicians.

But anyways, I get the feeling when next July rolls around, they'll be delaying the opening again!

Edited July 29, 2005 by Chiuey

[Butterfly]

I can only remember the HK disaster when they opened that new Airport too soon.

Lost luggages, delayed flights etc... for months. Travellers would pay extra to use the old Airport because it was such a nightmare.

See what happened with the MRT when they opened too quickly.

When they rush things here, you can bet it becomes a disaster soon after. I can't understand why Toxin is pressing for those projects to be opened "early". What the rush ? doesn't he have more pressing things to do like stabilizing the South ?

[BlackJack]

its unusual for the Thai's to be late

except on commission payments where they like to get them up front

well with the new FUBAR bomb scanners now at the airport they will have 8 months to test them out - in 8 months time of course these machines will be, well old technology

Unless Mr T can hook them up to his new u beaut satellite

I predict that Mr T may find a way to gracefully move from PM to CEO of SHIN again

then he can spend all day playing with his new toy - the worlds largest broadband satellite

Edited July 29, 2005 by BlackJack

[george]

Update:

Suvarnabhumi Airport ready in July 2006

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that the new Suvarnabhumi Airport will be ready for commercial use around July next year.

The Premier visited the airport construction site yesterday. Upon arrival, he spent half an hour at the passengers’ terminal zone where the installation of the bomb-scanning devices, whose procurement has been a subject of corruption investigation,has yet been completed.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the executive committee of the Suvarnabhumi airport development, Mr Thaksin said the airport should be ready to serve in July 2006. Construction of the passengers terminal will however be completed by the end of this September as planned.

Mr Thaksin said most airlines appreciate the fact that the delay assures maximum safety guarantee. The safety and the entire operational system of the airport will be tested once the passengers’ terminal is ready. He said a meeting with airlines representatives will be held on 29 September this year and he himself plans to arrive on board a plane that lands in Suvarnabhumi airport on the date.

The Prime Minister also told reporters that the CTX scanners to detect bomb in luggage are due for delivery today (29 July). The Transport Ministry intends to ask the suppliers to accelerate installation of the system so that it can be operational by end of December.

Construction of the passenger terminal has fallen seven months behind schedule as a result of corruption scandals plaguing the CTX scanner procurement. The construction of the passage connecting the landing area with the passenger terminal is also two months behind.

--TNA 2005-07-29

[Serge]

SUVARNABHUMI SAGA:

Airport will open late, PM admits

Launch date for Bt150-billion gateway to be delayed up to eight months

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday admitted for the first time that Suvarnabhumi Airport would miss its scheduled opening on September 29 by as much as eight months, due to delays in several major peripheral projects.

The job will only be half finished on September 29 and will be fully completed three months later, he said.

--The Nation 2005-07-29

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really don't understand what all the negative comments from the Farangs is all about!

As of September 29, completion of the remaining "half" of the airport will only take 8 months!

Lets see, using my grade school (cut the pie into 2 equal parts) arithmatic and based upon the fact that it will only take 8 months to complete the construction of the remaining half then, what is the problem? Now, thats impressive!

(8 months + 8 Months = 16 months) You can't tell me it is not impressive to find out a project of such magnitude will be completed from start to finish, in a mere 16 months!

Wow! Wait!

Edited July 29, 2005 by Serge

[atulmangalmurti]

our PM will start with new year count down at new airport

then by

OTOP exhibition

then by

TRT achievement meeting

then by

--------------------

good usage of such good place free of charge till we start flying planes.

[Estrada]

I've heard rumors that the runways are not stable, and that they are sinking more than expected and so are the terminals. Granted I can't verify this source, but it's an interesting spin on why the delays of 6-8 months as construction is near completion. I know that there are more stuff to be done, with a good deal of systems that have to be connected and tested as well as personell trained for emergency proceedures, but I get the distinct feeling there's more to the story than being let on by "Mr. I pity the fool..." =P (Mr. T). But ofcourse that's nothing new to those of us who are used to being lied to by politicians.

But anyways, I get the feeling when next July rolls around, they'll be delaying the opening again!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, first hand information. 1. There is no delay as we [The Expats on the job] always said that the Airport would be completed and opened, at the end of 2006. ". 2. The runway is not sinking, thanks to a very good ex-Pat Geotechnical Engineer who is supervising Construction.

There was a dodgy period when the Prime Minister decided the Royal Thai Airforce and AIT students could do the job better, but after a few balls ups, the Ex-Pats were put back in charge.

The Ex-Pats still say that the Airport should open in September next year, but surely the Grand Opening will be the King's Birthday in December.

It is interesting that as predicted by us, the Prime Minster intends to land in a light Aircraft in September this year in a face saving stunt.

Also, I jokingly suggested to the designers, that the design was missing a golf course with traffic lights for Golf carts to cross the runway to the ninth hole. They now appear to be taking this seriously, and as you will have read, the Prime Minister intends the perimeter taxiway to be used for a Bangkok Marathon course.

Incidently, the another Ex-Pat who was CEO of Berli Jucker, was involved in the original bid to build this Airport in 1963, so it must go down as the Airport that has taken the longest time to build.

[sriracha john]

When they rush things here, you can bet it becomes a disaster soon after. I can't understand why Toxin is pressing for those projects to be opened "early". What the rush ? doesn't he have more pressing things to do like stabilizing the South ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Possibly has a lot to do with his younger sister facing the "OTHER" bribery scandal at the airport involving her accepting millions of baht in exchange for the parking garage concession. The more he can focus on the opening, the less attention is paid to his corrupt sister who refused to return the bribe money even after the concession was granted to a different briber.

There will be lots of smoke getting blown around to cover up this scandal. Anything for a diversion...

[Butterfly]

I think the Golf cart idea is pure genius

Amazing Thailand, isn't it ?

I am a little bit worried they are going to open too soon. This is going to be disastrous. Another ego trip for our PM Thaksin ?

I guess fighting urgent matters like the South is not as rewarding as completing the Airport on time.

Edited July 29, 2005 by Butterfly

[sriracha john]

: I think the Golf cart idea is pure genius 

Amazing Thailand, isn't it ? 

I am a little bit worried they are going to open too soon. This is going to be disastrous. Another ego trip for our PM Thaksin ?  :whistling

I guess fighting the South is not as rewarding as completing the Airport on time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's just hope he doesn't order the tardy contractors (ex-pats and otherwise) to be stacked on top of one another in military trucks like occured in the South....

[Sphere]

When they rush things here, you can bet it becomes a disaster soon after. I can't understand why Toxin is pressing for those projects to be opened "early". What the rush ? doesn't he have more pressing things to do like stabilizing the South ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Come on, everyone knows that the South will automatically stabilise after someone finds that paper crane with Toxin's original John Henry.

[cutter007]

If they ever legalize gambling here, betting on completion dates for Thai

infrastructure projects would be a riot.

Talking with other contractors working on the airport, many in different areas.

I would give opening time of July 06, pretty good odds.

Maybe 4 - 1, which I considered extremely good odds for something this big,

in Thailand

We are already beginning the final stage of the completion of a project such as this.

Final phase step 1,

Starting to find escape goats, for all of the delays.

Step 2, will proceed into escape goats, for poorly built or unuseable assets, when the estimates for the final bill come in grossly over estimates.

Step 3

Lastly we will begin to "remove face" through lies and slander from key consulting heads, and then move to the lower management ranks in a systematic fashion.

Step 4

Worthless and useless Thai politicians patting each other on the back, for working so hard to build this wonderful monument of achievement, and for punishing all those that delayed their airport from opening, and tried to over charge them.

Step 5

Ex-pat contractors, laughing over beers, at the over inflated service contracts fees they are going to charge for maintance of the new airport they built.

Quote from airport contractor "I don't know why the Thais didn't just build the airport Thai style, measure every structure at Don Muang, multiple the measurements by 3, and then build a much large copy of that airport."

Edited July 29, 2005 by cutter007

[Pattaya_Fox]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is interesting that as predicted by us, the Prime Minster intends to land in a light Aircraft in September this year in a face saving stunt.

Also, I jokingly suggested to the designers, that the design was missing a golf course with traffic lights for Golf carts to cross the runway to the ninth hole. They now appear to be taking this seriously,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well let us hope that the high flying PM lands safely......nothing worse than losing yer balls between holes

[RJJ]

"He said each RF module cost just Bt20 and could be made locally"

Everyone remember: the first two years of operation only use handlaguage!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bt20 is about how much you should pay for a pen!!!

[RJJ]

Incidently, the another Ex-Pat who was CEO of Berli Jucker, was involved in the original bid to build this Airport in 1963, so it must go down as the Airport that has taken the longest time to build.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is very interesting information; The new airport is being built opposite the Berli Jucker Warehouse in King Keow Road, Soi 21 if I remember correctly.

[Anon999]

If they ever legalize gambling here, betting on completion dates for Thai

infrastructure projects would be a riot.

Talking with other contractors working on the airport, many in different areas.

I would give opening time of July 06, pretty good odds.

Maybe 4 - 1, which I considered extremely good odds for something this big,

in Thailand

We are already beginning the final stage of the completion of a project such as this.

Final phase step 1,

Starting to find escape goats, for all of the delays.

Step 2, will proceed into escape goats, for poorly built or unuseable assets, when the estimates for the final bill come in grossly over estimates.

Step 3

Lastly we will begin to "remove face" through lies and slander from key consulting heads, and then move to the lower management ranks in a systematic fashion.

Step 4

Worthless and useless Thai politicians patting each other on the back, for working so hard to build this wonderful monument of achievement, and for punishing all those that delayed their airport from opening, and tried to over charge them.

Step 5

Ex-pat contractors, laughing over beers, at the over inflated service contracts fees they are going to charge for maintance of the new airport they built.

Quote from airport contractor "I don't know why the Thais didn't just build the airport Thai style, measure every structure at Don Muang, multiple the measurements by 3, and then build a much large copy of that airport."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about the Millenium Dome in London, only a piddling project in comparison?

Massively over budget, late, always run at a loss despite all the politicians blather and promise. Sold for a song by the same crowd of the PM's cronies and then the Minister responsible gets promoted to a Lord!

Maybe the Thais have a lot to learn still.

[Johpa]

Maybe the Thais have a lot to learn still.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Trust me, Toxin is taking master classes from Dick Cheney & Poppy Bush and has taken post-grad seminars offered by the Carlyle Group. The sister, is that the murderous one from out in Sankampeng?

And from what I last heard about a year ago, the new airport will include all international flights as well as the relocated domestic services of Thai Airlines. The recently expanded, and often quiet halls of Don Muang International will handle discount carriers, charters, and cargo although I do remember seeing one proposal to turn the recently upgraded Don Muang International into a mall or trade show venue.

[RJJ]

The really funny thing about this new airport saga is: Why did they spend all that money expanding and refurbishing Don Muang, new gates, new lounges, etc. when they must have known it was only a short term offering.

There is a rumour the Air Force and other Government departments will be moving in there. Now it is the lap of luxury for them!!!

They should have just kept using the shuttle buses for another 2 years.

For the money they spent at Don Muang could have bought 10 times as many buses, then they could have given them to the Public Transport departments when Don Muang is closed.

And they would still have millions of unspent baht to play with.

This is a *GROSS* misuse of funds that would hardly be tolerated in a cash rich society, of which, Thailand is not.

Toxin and his friends have excelled themselves this time.

Why is no one accountable for public spending?