New Airport Roof Lining Fabric Substandard

[george]

Airport roof lining fabric substandard

Democrats question middle-party purchase

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat party yesterday unveiled another problem at Suvarnabhumi international airport, saying some of the canvas-like ``fabric membranes'' lining the concourse roof, purchased at a cost of 800 million baht, were substandard.

The party also claimed the membranes were unnecessarily purchased through a middle party.

Kiart Sitheeamorn, of the party's working group investigating corruption in the airport project, said the fabric formed the roof of the concourse building.

The problem occurred in the ``roof inner liner fabric membranes'' designed to scatter light inside the concourse. Two other, outer layers designed to reflect UV, noise and heat were free of problems, he said.

The three layers cost 2.4 billion baht and the inner one alone was 800 million baht, Mr Kiart said.

He said a test by Chulalongkorn University's department of materials science found inconsistent weaves and thickness in the fabric.

The Thailand Textile Institute also indicated the roof fabric was of substandard tensile strength, Mr Kiart said. The standards were set at 3,250 N/5cm for the weft and 3,500 N/5cm for the warp, but samples measured at 2,250 for the weft and 1,650 N/5cm for the warp, he said.

The Bavarian Centre for Applied Energy Research of Germany also reported the fabric was substandard with inconsistent coating and light-scattering capability.

All results were reported between October and November last year. The fabric was installed late in 2003, Mr Kiart said.

Mr Kiart said he had been told by Somchai Sawasdeepon, vice president of Airports of Thailand Co (AoT) in charge of the new airport project, that the airport builder, ITO Joint Venture, had been ordered to replace the substandard roof fabric on June 22 this year.

``Why was the quality of the fabric not checked before installation? Who benefited from this?'' Mr Kiart said. ``Why was the replacement just ordered recently?''

The replacement would take six to eight months, cost 800-1,000 million baht and affect other construction, he said.

Mr Kiart said the manufacturer of the fabric membranes was Interglas Technologies Co of Germany, but ITO ordered the product from Ogawatec Corp of Japan.

The Japanese company had bought the thread from the German company and woven the membranes for ITO.

``The procurement process repeats the case of the CTX bomb scanners, as it was undertaken by a middle party and with duplication of profits, operational costs and taxation,'' he said.

Mr Somchai said yesterday that 84 of the 102 fabric installed were substandard and he had ordered their replacement.

He said ITO changed the specifications of the fabric membranes from those set by the airport designer, the Murphy Jahn/TAMS/ACT (MJTA) consortium. The changes were approved by the designer but the product proved to have problems after being installed, he said.

New Bangkok International Airport Co (NBIA) which is AoT's subsidiary, rejected the roof and suspended payment, he said. The roof fabric was coated with silver nitrate which oxidised and caused stains.

Surajit Surapolchai, AoT vice president for project management and construction, said that samples of the fabric had been tested and approved before installation. The problem occurred later.

Replacements were ordered on June 14 and 22, he said.

He said the roof project was quoted at 1.29 billion baht and NBIA had stopped paying for it in July last year due to the problem with the roof fabric.

Seventy-two percent of the price had been paid and the remaining amount was over 300 million baht, he said.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-23

[sriracha john]

Another scandal...

Another delay...

Another billion baht squandered...

Another breaking story previously hidden by the government...

More shady dealings...

More unnecessary middleman...

More overpriced supplies...

More duplicated payments...

Wasted tax dollars...

Wasted time...

Wasted resources...

Yet another sad day for the undeservedly-suffering Thais...

[Maejo Man]

"The party also claimed the membranes were unnecessarily purchased through a middle party."

Surprise surprise That's Thai business at it's best.

[WhiteShiva]

Another scandal...

Another delay...

Another billion baht squandered...

Another breaking story previously hidden by the government...

More shady dealings...

More unnecessary middleman...

More overpriced supplies...

More duplicated payments...

Wasted tax dollars...

Wasted time...

Wasted resources...

Yet another sad day for the undeservedly-suffering Thais... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Undeservedly? Who allows these people to get into power and stay there? This is a democracy - if Thai voters started thinking a bit further than the voting day pay-off, things may be different. Until then - don't expect things to get any better.

[ovenman]

The party also claimed the membranes were unnecessarily purchased through a middle party.

We could argue about unnecessarily. No doubt that some pooyai's cousin had been promised some fat government contract.

Does anybody even for a moment think that there was one bolt, lightbulb, screw, or whatever, purchased for the new airport that doesn't have some similar story regarding the procurement of said part?

[sriracha john]

Another scandal...

Another delay...

Another billion baht squandered...

Another breaking story previously hidden by the government...

More shady dealings...

More unnecessary middleman...

More overpriced supplies...

More duplicated payments...

Wasted tax dollars...

Wasted time...

Wasted resources...

Yet another sad day for the undeservedly-suffering Thais... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Undeservedly? Who allows these people to get into power and stay there? This is a democracy - if Thai voters started thinking a bit further than the voting day pay-off, things may be different. Until then - don't expect things to get any better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That short-sightedness for electing these manipulating charlatans is, I feel, a direct reflection of the lack of education. That's why so many rural voters (the crux of TRT) easily swayed by the slicksters running the government. When someone is that naive or overly trusting or that hopeless for change and all of this is stemming from being under-educated, I don't believe they deserve the malicious actions of their over-seers.

Education is the true threat to the status quo... which is a major factor why it's not improved... despite all the rhetoric to the contrary.

[The_Moog]

I don't disagree with any of Johns facts or his conclusions, and in the absence of a Thai Patriot Act, people are allowed to express opinions via free speech.

Yet until recently this place was a military dictatorship. You can't just evolve a mature, educated democracy with a snap of the fingers. It takes decades, ...centuries in the case of the UK.

People go into politics in Asia in order to make money and feather their own nest, not in order to promote reform, or because one gets a ego kick from the trappings of power (which is usually why people in the UK go into politics).

Money politics will continue to apply in Thailand whether you favour TRT, Democrat or Chart Thai party.

[sriracha john]

Change is possible... such as the "People Power" that finally ousted Marcos of the Philippines... but as you say, Moog, it's not done quickly as evidenced by the quaqmire that the Philippines have endured in it's political arena since that wonderfully hopeful change.

True and lasting change is extremely difficult... but I do not put it past the Thais to accomplish it... they have it within themselves to do so. I've seen the requisite spirit inside too many for me to lose hope.

[meelousee]

Can I trade this here job for what's behind door #1 ?

I guess it will be teaching English, since waiting another year for the airport to get into full swing is not much of an option. I was informed by the project director whom I WAS to work with to not hold my breath.

And find other work!

Now I don’t know if I should commit suicide or go bowling

12 Years Oil field experience

Masters in CIS/MIS

Minors in Accounting

8 Years Aviation

Quick now the pop tarts are running low.

The airport has more problems than a chicken in a tornado What will they find next? Inferior cement, wire too small, nail too short, counterfeit paint?

Edited August 23, 2005 by meelousee

[tjo o tjim]

"The Japanese company had bought the thread from the German company and woven the membranes for ITO."

That is hardly a middleman! They did useful work, quite likely cheaper than the Germans themselves would have. Welcome to competitive bidding!

As for quality, Murphy/Jahn's design always called for a higher quality than could reasonably be expected... anywhere!

[IMA_FARANG]

I don't disagree with any of Johns facts or his conclusions, and in the absence of a Thai Patriot Act, people are allowed to express opinions via free speech.

Yet until recently this place was a military dictatorship. You can't just evolve a mature, educated democracy with a snap of the fingers. It takes decades, ...centuries in the case of the UK.

People go into politics in Asia in order to make money and feather their own nest, not in order to promote reform, or because one gets a ego kick from the trappings of power (which is usually why people in the UK go into politics).

Money politics will continue to apply in Thailand whether you favour TRT, Democrat or Chart Thai party.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quote....so many rural voters (the crux of TRT) easily swayed by the slicksters running the government. When someone is that naive or overly trusting...Unquote

I remember reading in the Bangkok post an article about a village headman up north who had advertised in the local newspaper that he could "arrange" that the votes of the people he represented in the village could be had by any politician who paid the best bribe to him. The newspaper sent a reporter to question this guy about why he would sell votes like that. Didn't he know about democracy?

The headman's answer was that of course he supported Democracy. He simply wanted to politicians to do something directly for the people of his village. The village didn't have a good school and no hospital. With the money he got for the votes he sold, he could pay to upgrade the school and build a health clinic for the villagers.

It seems to me that maybe that "niave or overly trusting" rural headman had more practical knowledge of how democracy actually works in Thailand than most " more educated" Thais in the cities do.

[Tywais]

"The party also claimed the membranes were unnecessarily purchased through a middle party."

Surprise surprise   That's Thai business at it's best. 

Can everyone here say "nepotism"

[Maestro]

Education is the true threat to the status quo... which is a major factor why it's not improved... despite all the rhetoric to the contrary.

It never occurred to me to look at it that way but I must say: you've got a point there.

[opothai]

Education is the true threat to the status quo... which is a major factor why it's not improved... despite all the rhetoric to the contrary.

It never occurred to me to look at it that way but I must say: you've got a point there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's the way i see it, keep the people down, never let them rise and with that system it ensures the rich get richer.[sound familiar]

[sriracha john]

You can fool some people sometimes,

But you can't fool all the people all the time.

So now we see the light (What you gonna do?),

We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!

Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!

Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

[sriracha john]

I don't disagree with any of Johns facts or his conclusions, and in the absence of a Thai Patriot Act, people are allowed to express opinions via free speech.

Yet until recently this place was a military dictatorship. You can't just evolve a mature, educated democracy with a snap of the fingers. It takes decades, ...centuries in the case of the UK.

People go into politics in Asia in order to make money and feather their own nest, not in order to promote reform, or because one gets a ego kick from the trappings of power (which is usually why people in the UK go into politics).

Money politics will continue to apply in Thailand whether you favour TRT, Democrat or Chart Thai party.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quote....so many rural voters (the crux of TRT) easily swayed by the slicksters running the government. When someone is that naive or overly trusting...Unquote

I remember reading in the Bangkok post an article about a village headman up north who had advertised in the local newspaper that he could "arrange" that the votes of the people he represented in the village could be had by any politician who paid the best bribe to him. The newspaper sent a reporter to question this guy about why he would sell votes like that. Didn't he know about democracy?

The headman's answer was that of course he supported Democracy. He simply wanted to politicians to do something directly for the people of his village. The village didn't have a good school and no hospital. With the money he got for the votes he sold, he could pay to upgrade the school and build a health clinic for the villagers.

It seems to me that maybe that "niave or overly trusting" rural headman had more practical knowledge of how democracy actually works in Thailand than most " more educated" Thais in the cities do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the story is to believed, (is it possible to cite the article?). Several holes apparent in it. Hard to believe no untoward action would be taken against the poo-yai-baan for such a blatant offer. Vote buying is normally a tad bit more discrete than taking out a newspaper ad. Most vote buying is done on an individual basis and the people that agree to take it are not usually the civic-minded with foresight to collectively pool the money for a community project such as a clinic. It's done on a very short-sighted basis with a "what can I buy today with it?" mentality. More often than not, it's for a bottle of lao khao and some gai yang for the family or a bit of karoke fun. This short-sightedness is, once again I repeat, usually stemming from a lack of education as well as rooted in a sense of despair and hopelessness for change.

[The Skipper]

"I remember reading in the Bangkok post an article about a village headman up north who had advertised in the local newspaper that he could "arrange" that the votes of the people he represented in the village could be had by any politician who paid the best bribe to him. "

A couple examples of vote rigging in Thailand:

In one town, the citizens were all given a left shoe by a politician.

If he wins the election, the right shoe appears.

Some politicians "rent" farm equipment(pumps, tractors, etc).

If they win the election, the bill never shows up.

There is no such thing as moral fiber or integrity in Thai politics.

The biggest crooks actually are admired for being so successfull (ie:Chuwit)

[Artisi]

just sit quietly, relax and repeat to yourself a few times - "this is Thailand" - this is Thailand - this is Thailand" and let it is slowly pass bye - cause as sure as ###### - nothing you do, say or wish will make the slightest difference.