Don Muang Airport Clarifies Status Of Grounded Aircraft On Flooded Runway

[ballpoint]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

"Bangkok Airport Flooded" is correct. Don Mueang Airport is the ONLY airport in BANGKOK. This is a fact.

All other airports are OUTSIDE Bangkok.

London Airports are many MILES outside London.

Actually, there is only one Bangkok airport. Suvarnabhumi took over the official BKK code from Don Muang when it opened. Don Muang is now coded DMK. (Not wanting to be pedantic, but correct reporting does make a difference. I was out of the country last week and lost count of the number of emails, SMS's and people trying to tell me I couldn't get back because Bangkok airport was closed. Needless to say, I flew back in okay on Friday night, but was still uncertain about the state I would find Bangkok in, and how I would get back to Isaan, thanks to the lazy and sensationalist journalism, and the mixed messages from those supposedly in charge).

[ALFREDO]

-transam-

The Coke and the coffee and everything was well!

Red my answer here please.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/509920-orient-thai-recovering/page__gopid__4819602#entry4819602

[Payboy]

I cannot complain, maybe things are changed to the better?

Hi Alfredo, google "investigate Udom" or click here.

[BarryM]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

correct...and smartass CNN reported this morning on how 'miserable' the plight of all Bangkokians is because 'they are stuck and cannot travel out as the airport is flooded' after showing pictures of Don Mueang. Some very junior weatehr reporter woman added her own touch to the report by saying 'the airport is closed' and nobody bothered double checking her report before airing... this was around 11 am or noon this morning...Sad...

Thailand needs to ensure that facts are reported as to the true situation here. You certainly will not get this from broadcasters like CNN.

- nor from the government. If the Thai government can't communicate the facts, why expect CNN to to better?

[ALFREDO]

-transam- -payboy-

Read on here,

http://www.thaivisa....02#entry4819602

[Rod3]

How about the Boeing 747 that I saw on the flood floor, 3 days ago during an helping journey with ป ภ. Tell me if Im wrong (Im not an expert in plane) but Im very pretty sure that it was a Boeing 747, kind of expensive plane...

[BKKdreaming]

OK.....it may sound too easy and I know jets are heavy but why not raise them on some kind of jack stand to get them out of the water

one the water is in the plane you might as well scrap it ,

This is a slow moving flood , they had a week to figure this out !

BK

[Gonsalviz]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

"Bangkok Airport Flooded" is correct. Don Mueang Airport is the ONLY airport in BANGKOK. This is a fact.

All other airports are OUTSIDE Bangkok.

The designator for Suvarnabumi is BKK. Hence Bangkok Airport. Tourists do not keep up with these things and Don Muang is not international.

[Gonsalviz]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

correct...and smartass CNN reported this morning on how 'miserable' the plight of all Bangkokians is because 'they are stuck and cannot travel out as the airport is flooded' after showing pictures of Don Mueang. Some very junior weatehr reporter woman added her own touch to the report by saying 'the airport is closed' and nobody bothered double checking her report before airing... this was around 11 am or noon this morning...Sad...

It is CNN's job to create a sob story for the world to see. I don't know if CNN or BBC are worse.

[Gonsalviz]

-Payboy- Regarding, to your Quote-

Considering that most of those aircraft are Orient (1-2-Go), its probably a good thing if they're grounded forever

Just on Monday "I risked?" to fly with -ORIENT THAI MD 80S- from BKK-HKT (Phuket), the same route as the fatal accident took.

It was the cheapest flight I could book in the Internet, free Internet booking (-Nok Air?) (Air Asia you pay a fee for paying with Credit card!)

The check In was immideately and fast, comparing to the overcrowded NOK AIR counters next to it a relief. Air Asia-check in at counter you pay a fee again! (Suvarnabhum Airport)

free snack, soft drink and coffee on board, (Nok Air bigger snack and water) (Air Asia nothing free)

free choosing of your seat, (Nok Air same, I think) (Air Asia-choose seat-pay!)

free 20 kg check in bags. (Nok Air 15 kg free) (Air Asia-check in Baggage-you pay extra)

Plane cabin cleaned well, friendly staff and only 35%? booked.

I cannot complain, maybe things are changed to the better?

35% booked. I am amazed it is that high.

[anon8]

How about the Boeing 747 that I saw on the flood floor, .. but Im very pretty sure that it was a Boeing 747, kind of expensive plane...

well, this being Thailand, there's a good chance the planes you saw were simply knock off 747s, bought at Chatuchak at 900 baht a piece. So no worries!

[MaxYakov]

How about the Boeing 747 that I saw on the flood floor, 3 days ago during an helping journey with ป ภ. Tell me if Im wrong (Im not an expert in plane) but Im very pretty sure that it was a Boeing 747, kind of expensive plane...

You don't mean this one with the doors open and missing (at least) the starboard flaps, do you? Do you think it could have been looted?

[robbo1]

-Payboy- Regarding, to your Quote-

Considering that most of those aircraft are Orient (1-2-Go), its probably a good thing if they're grounded forever

Just on Monday "I risked?" to fly with -ORIENT THAI MD 80S- from BKK-HKT (Phuket), the same route as the fatal accident took.

It was the cheapest flight I could book in the Internet, free Internet booking (-Nok Air?) (Air Asia you pay a fee for paying with Credit card!)

The check In was immideately and fast, comparing to the overcrowded NOK AIR counters next to it a relief. Air Asia-check in at counter you pay a fee again! (Suvarnabhum Airport)

free snack, soft drink and coffee on board, (Nok Air bigger snack and water) (Air Asia nothing free)

free choosing of your seat, (Nok Air same, I think) (Air Asia-choose seat-pay!)

free 20 kg check in bags. (Nok Air 15 kg free) (Air Asia-check in Baggage-you pay extra)

Plane cabin cleaned well, friendly staff and only 35%? booked.

I cannot complain, maybe things are changed to the better?

That would have to be for a reason.

I would much rather wait in a buisy line like Nok than hop on 1 2 hope we go.

I flew Phuket to BKK once with them the frame of my hands are entrenched in there chairs, the best part of the flight was getting off.

[bdenner]

How about the Boeing 747 that I saw on the flood floor, 3 days ago during an helping journey with ป ภ. Tell me if Im wrong (Im not an expert in plane) but Im very pretty sure that it was a Boeing 747, kind of expensive plane...

You don't mean this one with the doors open and missing (at least) the starboard flaps, do you? Do you think it could have been looted?

There are several of these scattered around the kingdom including a B747-200 at Udon Thani belonging to 1-2-Go, I believe there is a price of 3 million Baht for it.

[scotto]

Yep their grounded or should that be they are having a bit of a bath?

[khaowong1]

'He explained that even if the water level rose another 1.5 metres and submerges the aircraft body, no damage will be caused, for it is built of metal

But he admitted all parts must be reconditioned to be used again..'

:D

And, they are wrapping aircraft parts, wheels etc. in plastic, so, no problems here. :-)

[siampolee]

Me and me son will be around later to clear up for you, don't worry. Best prices paid.

[sprq]

One thing to notice is that they are not on the Runway but in the parking areas

Exactly, but the same mistake is made time and again in the media, including --in fact, especially -- in the British media. No matter how many times journalists use airports, few seem to know the difference between a runway, a taxiway and a tarmac.

[sparebox2]

Airplane are made air-tight. Remove the wings, and the Thai Navy would have fulfil their wet dreams. Submarine in a flash (flood).

[Guest]

OK.....it may sound too easy and I know jets are heavy but why not raise them on some kind of jack stand to get them out of the water

one the water is in the plane you might as well scrap it ,

This is a slow moving flood , they had a week to figure this out !

BK

Or simply pour some asphalt (which can be easily removed later) to the front of the plane, put some metal slates to distribute the weight and pull the plane on top of these stands. Some tens of thousands of baht per plane.

[anterian]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

correct...and smartass CNN reported this morning on how 'miserable' the plight of all Bangkokians is because 'they are stuck and cannot travel out as the airport is flooded' after showing pictures of Don Mueang. Some very junior weatehr reporter woman added her own touch to the report by saying 'the airport is closed' and nobody bothered double checking her report before airing... this was around 11 am or noon this morning...Sad...

Thailand needs to ensure that facts are reported as to the true situation here. You certainly will not get this from broadcasters like CNN.

But Thai authorities only give out a miniscule amount of information in English. It's their own fault if people outside Thailand are getting misinformation, because English is the default for most international news agencies and networks. Heck, Thai authorities aren't even bothering to inform expats who live here, why do you think some guy in Buffalo or Helsinki would get a better picture?

This is the real response to the article, Thailand hates global scrutiny and plays a close game with information. Sometimes, like now, it backfires.

[impulse]

Or they may be going with the western solution- insure your aircraft for more than replacement value and hope for a flood or a typhoon or a....

[ballpoint]

Airplane are made air-tight. Remove the wings, and the Thai Navy would have fulfil their wet dreams. Submarine in a flash (flood).

Except planes are designed to keep the pressure in, submarines are designed to keep it out. You could probably sell your idea to the government though, their leader (in name) apparently can't tell the difference between an aircraft and a submarine.

[ALFREDO]

-Gonsalviz- -Robbo1-

To not to be to much Off Topic, could write here also, http://www.thaivisa....02#entry4819602

I still have trust in human possibility to learning and improving his fews, so I think things have changed at Orient Thai.

regards

[chris1101]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

correct...and smartass CNN reported this morning on how 'miserable' the plight of all Bangkokians is because 'they are stuck and cannot travel out as the airport is flooded' after showing pictures of Don Mueang. Some very junior weatehr reporter woman added her own touch to the report by saying 'the airport is closed' and nobody bothered double checking her report before airing... this was around 11 am or noon this morning...Sad...

It is CNN's job to create a sob story for the world to see. I don't know if CNN or BBC are worse.

Oooooh - critising 'Aunty Beeb', not sure if I can go along with that

[jmo]

Most of these planes were never planned to go flying ever again, with or without the flooding. The only way they are going to be leaving Don Muang is cut in parts on a bed of a truck after being sold to a scrap metal recycling factory. What I can see the history of them some have been parked since 2005 and some since 2008 and are being cannibalized for spare parts to keep other planes flying. When they said in the article that "But he admitted all parts must be reconditioned to be used again." they did not mean that they are are ever going to recondition all of the parts of these planes to make the plane work. That sentence means that any spare parts that they in the future cannibalize away from these planes to be used in another planes, all of those spare parts must be reconditioned if they are going to be used for flying. Just like any spare parts used in the past were also needed to be reconditioned.

Somebody here said that an 747 is an expensive plane, well some of them really are not. It depends. The one really expensive parts of an old jet plane are their engines. That is why the engines are usually the first to go when an old plane is parked with the intention never to fly again. The value of the rest of the plane really depends on how close it is some of its major overhaul. Any 747 that has its hours full so that it must be going through a major paint-stripping-and-repaint and remove-and-refit-all-millions-of-components overhaul before its next flight is worth very little, basically the scrap metal value. There are a lot of those available as the major airlines have really started to phase out the oldest fuel guzzling versions of 747s in masses and there really is no sensible use for these planes as they are really not suitable to some bush flying company in africa like some smaller planes end up to in the end of their lives.

[tomallison]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

correct...and smartass CNN reported this morning on how 'miserable' the plight of all Bangkokians is because 'they are stuck and cannot travel out as the airport is flooded' after showing pictures of Don Mueang. Some very junior weatehr reporter woman added her own touch to the report by saying 'the airport is closed' and nobody bothered double checking her report before airing... this was around 11 am or noon this morning...Sad...

It is CNN's job to create a sob story for the world to see. I don't know if CNN or BBC are worse.

Oooooh - critising 'Aunty Beeb', not sure if I can go along with that

As for being the worst: CNN is the hands down winner. Though being British I could be a little bias.

[KOZMO]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

"Bangkok Airport Flooded" is correct. Don Mueang Airport is the ONLY airport in BANGKOK. This is a fact.

All other airports are OUTSIDE Bangkok.

Techically correct but ask the vast majority of tourists where they are flying to as they jet into swampy and they will invariably say Bangkok.

Geographically correct but not technically, the IATA location code BKK is for both the city of Krung Thep and the Suvarnabhumi airport

Don Mueang is DMK...

Technically now Don mueang is DMK. Since i flew into it in 1970 and up until the new airport was opened it's IATA was BKK. Air Force Vet.

[Estrada]

One thing to notice is that they are not on the Runway but in the parking areas

Aircraft status changed to boat

Flying-boat, perhaps ?

Yes.....Don Mueang is to be reopened for flying boats...see photo.

Incidently, the Thai Flying Club posted an aerial photo which shows the main runways also flooded.

[Estrada]

Unfortunately, those pictures are making their way into the foreign press with headlines like "Bangkok Airport Flooded," scaring off thousands more tourists into canceling their plans to come to Thailand.

"Bangkok Airport Flooded" is correct. Don Mueang Airport is the ONLY airport in BANGKOK. This is a fact.

All other airports are OUTSIDE Bangkok.

Suvarnaphum Airport was built to serve Bangkok as the Bangkok International Airport and has the IATA code "BKK" meaning that Worldwide it is recognised as Bangkok Airport in the same way that London Airport, which is in Middlesex and not London, is still correctly referred to as London Heathrow Airport as it is built to serve London. Don Mueang is referred to as DMK Bangkok. Tourists taking Domectic Internal flights have a right to know that DMK is closed and Domestic Flights moved to Bangkok Internatioal Airport (BKK). The are two Bangkok Airports, that is the fact.