paulbkk Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 just a quick and maybe random question... when i look over bangkok at night most buildings have red flashing lights on the top of them. i just wondered if anyone knew the reason for this?? im sure its not for low flying aircraft cos there everywhere, its kinda pretty, but any other possible reason. paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 You kind of guessed right, they are indeed for aircraft!!! Obviously they're not for low flying boeings, nor even for the small cessna's and pipers. There are however every so often helicopters flying around, most big hotels/hospitals even have a helipad on the roof. The red lights are installed to help the chopper pilots avoid these obstacles. Legally however they are just for "aircraft" in general... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbkk Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 You kind of guessed right, they are indeed for aircraft!!!Obviously they're not for low flying boeings, nor even for the small cessna's and pipers. There are however every so often helicopters flying around, most big hotels/hospitals even have a helipad on the roof. The red lights are installed to help the chopper pilots avoid these obstacles. Legally however they are just for "aircraft" in general... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasi Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 yep for aircraft. Helicopter traffic mainly. But I've notice they aren't well maintained. I'm sure the local pilots are on their toes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Kao Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 and i thought they were ST beacons, dang... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallthai Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Most of the red lights on the tops of buildings in Bangkok are cell sites or hand phnoe repeater sites for hand phone users. That's why we have such good coverage within Bangkok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai Dee Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Most of the red lights on the tops of buildings in Bangkok are cell sites or hand phnoe repeater sites for hand phone users. Are you sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 They are advertising "adult-oriented" businesses in the building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 They're placed there initially to warn the constructers when to stop building. Otherwise they would just keep adding floor after floor after floor. They also do have aeronautical uses as already mentioned, they warn Thai pilots that landing a plane on top of a building is dangerous as cleaners often leave their mops and buckets lying around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Bob Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Most of the red lights on the tops of buildings in Bangkok are cell sites or hand phnoe repeater sites for hand phone users. This may be true, but the reason for the flashing red light is for collision avoidance of aircraft. The lights are always placed on the highest portion of a building, consequently if there is a tower on top of the building the light goes on top of the tower. In addition, depending on the guy wire configuration, you might even see lights 1/2 way up the guy wires and at their base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaihome Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 just a quick and maybe random question...when i look over bangkok at night most buildings have red flashing lights on the top of them. i just wondered if anyone knew the reason for this?? im sure its not for low flying aircraft cos there everywhere, its kinda pretty, but any other possible reason. paul <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Haven't been to a lot of cities in the world have you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plachon Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Possibly illuminating the extent of the red light district? In a similar vein, does a barber's pole with red light, ever signify anything beyond a haircut is offered within the premises? Used to see more of them 10, 15 years ago, but the twirling barbers poles are getting rarer and rarer sights and it is one question I never pursued inside to the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Kao Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 >>> Possibly illuminating the extent of the red light district? You mean there is an extent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raslin Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 They give night flying suicide pilots an ulmost unlimited choise of where to aim. During the day there are very few guides. The new Bayoke Tower is a first choice in the daytime as there are arrows on each side pointing where to hit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Possibly illuminating the extent of the red light district? In a similar vein, does a barber's pole with red light, ever signify anything beyond a haircut is offered within the premises? Used to see more of them 10, 15 years ago, but the twirling barbers poles are getting rarer and rarer sights and it is one question I never pursued inside to the answer. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was told that in Malaysia any barber pole meant that extra services were offered there. I got 5 haircuts in one day one time in Penang, but no one brought the subject up and I was too shy to ask directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raro Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Talking about those barberpoles: Never saw that anywhere else. Does someone out there know where that tradition comes from? Just curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Kao Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 LOL judge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 They also do have aeronautical uses as already mentioned, they warn Thai pilots that landing a plane on top of a building is dangerous as cleaners often leave their mops and buckets lying around. cv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetyim Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Talking about those barberpoles: Never saw that anywhere else. Does someone out there know where that tradition comes from? Just curious... Started back in Europe a long time ago. Something to do with surgeons hanging blood soaked rags out to dry. Then the red and white stripes became their symbol. When hospitals were "invented" the symbol was dropped but retained by other knife weilding surgeons who only cut your beard and hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astral Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 They are advertising "adult-oriented" businesses in the building. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No. That is done with a waterfall, either real or made of lights!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rio666uk Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 The red flashing lights are to warn aircraft of high rise buildings near-ish to the inbound and outbound approach paths. as for the barber pole.... Red and white stripped poles date back to the Middle Ages when barber shop attendants pulled teeth and treated illnesses by bleeding clients, especially with leeches. The red and white colors on the poles represented blood stained white bandages that were washed and hung out to dry. The pole, itself, supposedly represented the staff which the patient clung to during the barber's treatments. Originally, there was a cup at the bottom of the pole to hold the leeches. It is believed that the blue was added as a third color by Americans to commemorate the colors of the flag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxm88 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 (edited) yep for aircraft. Helicopter traffic mainly. This must be quite expensive for the 1 or 2 helicopters that fly through Bangkok in any given month. Or do building owners have to foot the bill for these? That's quite a subsidy to the aviation community! Do they turn them off at night to conserve energy? All Season's Place/The Conrad must be especially concerned about stray pilots -- I think they've got about 50 of these on their towers. Anyone with a barber pole fetish would do well to visit Hong Kong. Or Poland. Edited October 24, 2005 by fxm88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallthai Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I sit on my 18th floor balcony and watch the flashing red lights on the repeater stations BELOW me. The lights may be for navigation purposes, but I wonder why my 28 floor building has no light while several in my immediate area have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penzman Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 There are two towers near Bang Pakong just before reaching Chonburi, twenty some stories each, you can see them well from the expressway but they're only huge shadows at night . They' ve been abandoned for years. No lights on them or inside as well. Does anyone know why they're vacant? Same goes for all the condos surrounding them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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