Bangkok Airways Suspends Samui's Flights

[george]

Bangkok Airways suspends Samui's flights

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Airways Friday suspended all flights between Bangkok and Samui due to heavy downpours, which caused flooding across the popular tourist destination.

"The heavy downpours are continuing and we can't say at this point when the flights can resume," Koh Samui Airport director Sirichai Charoenrat said.

Bangkok Airways, which built the only airport on Samui, is the only operator to operate flights between Bangkok and Samui. Generally, there were 20 daily flights from Bangkok to Samui.

However, Sirichai Friday said the suspension of flights would not affect many tourists because it was now during the low season.

"Aside, we will immediately resume the flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility improves to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed," he said.

Koh Samui district chief Thirayuth Iamtrakoon said the main road around Samui, a popular island in the country's South, was flooded.

"The floodwater is between 20 and 50 centimetre high," he said.

He said some 200 rescue workers now spanned across the island to help tourists affected by the inundation.

--The Nation 2005-11-25

[samuislander]

In Lipa Noi we could not even get to Nathorn this morning due to high water. Looks like a repeat of November 2003, but this time worse.

Take Care and keep dry!

[rossigee]

Sounds like the same kind of thing that hit us here in Prachuab last week. Houses washed away, families cut off, electric down, army in etc. The beach road here in Ban Krut was washed away in six places (about 30m wide in a couple of places!), cutting off most of the main resorts just as the tourist season is coming. Locals and the council say it hasn't rained as heavy in 33 years. Bang Saphan was badly hit too. Things are slowly recovering, but it's changed a few things. If I remember later, I'll post a link to some photos I'm uploading of it all.

Apparently, the storm hitting Samui now is just as extreme as ours. I spoke to one guy who's garden is under water (mine was this time last week too!). It all washes away as quickly as it comes, but the heavier it is the more damage it leaves.

[LivinLOS]

However, Sirichai Friday said the suspension of flights would not affect many tourists because it was now during the low season.

erm OK...

[mcfester]

My mates wife has been trying to get back to Samui since yesterday, diverted to Phuket for hours then flown back to BKK, TWICE, not nice with a 2yr old along for the ride also, whatever happened to airlines giving overnight accomadation, Phuket would have been a sensible stop over instead of back to BKK, they are now on a 4 hr bus trip back to parents home as the airline is not helping any.

[JRinger]

My mates wife has been trying to get back to Samui since yesterday, diverted to Phuket for hours then flown back to BKK, TWICE, not nice with a 2yr old along for the ride also, whatever happened to airlines giving overnight accomadation, Phuket would have been a sensible stop over instead of back to BKK, they are now on a 4 hr bus trip back to parents home as the airline is not helping any.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

TIT, no profit, no action...

[manta]

I bet the railways and the ferry companys are loving that

[mcfester]

"Aside, we will immediately resume the flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility improves to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed," he said.

--The Nation 2005-11-25

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm, just a thought, can airplanes these days land with zero visibility, I thought that the landing procedure was all done on auto pilot?

[sbk]

Weather here is just terrible, raining causing washouts and flooding--a bridge over the main road to the southwest side of Koh Phangan is completely washed out.

Frankly, I wouldn't complain too much about cancelled flights, the runway is flooded and visibility is terrible. I still remember when a plane crashed trying to land on Samui during a typhoon. Tell your friend better inconvenienced than dead.

[farangnoi]

Can anyone tell me where i can find online/ stream satelite-images about the wheater in the S-A area, e.g Thailand

Thanx all

[mr.buffalo]

Can anyone tell me where i can find online/ stream satelite-images about the wheater in  the S-A area, e.g Thailand

Thanx all

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[mr.buffalo]

try google earth

[jrincon17]

My mates wife has been trying to get back to Samui since yesterday, diverted to Phuket for hours then flown back to BKK, TWICE, not nice with a 2yr old along for the ride also, whatever happened to airlines giving overnight accomadation, Phuket would have been a sensible stop over instead of back to BKK, they are now on a 4 hr bus trip back to parents home as the airline is not helping any.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are in Thailand thats why no help !

[Flysiam]

Yes SOME aircraft do have that capability - bu tinorder for that to happenthe aircraft has to be specially certified and trhe crews have to be trained to perform the manuever... Neither are the case here!!! I would be afraid to have an approach flown to actual minimums in Thailand.

The manuever is flown on autopilot with some crew input and monitoring unitl touchdown.

"Aside, we will immediately resume the flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility improves to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed," he said.

--The Nation 2005-11-25

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm, just a thought, can airplanes these days land with zero visibility, I thought that the landing procedure was all done on auto pilot?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[sbk]

Have you ever seen the Samui airport? I wouldn't want to fly into that with zero visibility. Besides, according to the Thai news, the runway is flooded.

[george]

Heavy rains strand hundreds at Thai Samui airport

BANGKOK:-- Torrential rains and tropical storms have closed traffic at the airport on the southern Thai resort island of Samui, stranding hundreds of passengers, an airport spokeswoman said on Friday.

All 38 Bangkok Airways flights between Bangkok and Samui in the Gulf of Thailand were cancelled on Friday after four flights from Bangkok the previous night were diverted to Phuket Island, which is on the other side of the coast in the Andaman Sea.

"We are in commotion now," the spokeswoman told Reuters from her Bangkok headquarters that faced difficult communications with its Samui staff because of blackouts in some parts of the island.

Floods on some roads on the island prevented passengers from travelling to the airport that is littered with fallen coconut trees and rubbish from the sea, said the spokeswoman, who declined to be identified.

Despite the airport shutdown, ferries still ran between the island and mainland Surat Thani province where passengers could travel back to Bangkok and other parts of the country, she said.

The eastern part of the southern Thai peninsula is coming to the end of its monsoon season.

"It has been raining continuously in the past 30 hours with more than 200 mm (7.9 inches) so far," Samui district chief Thirayuth Eamtrakoon told Reuters while visiting flood-hit residents.

Bangkok Airways, which also owns and operates the airport, expected to resume its flights on Saturday if rain stopped on Friday night, the spokeswoman said.

Torrential rains in the past three days have hit eight southern Thai provinces, killing three people, including a five-year-old boy, the government said in a statement.

--Reuters 2005-11-25

[george]

Floods sweep resort island

KOH SAMUI: -- Koh Samui was flooded yesterday following heavy downpours as run-off water from higher ground swept about 100 seaside bungalows into the sea. Koh Samui district office was under a metre of flood water.

Surat Thani Governor Wijit Wichaisarn urged residents to seek shelter and not to travel until the situation returns to normal.

“Safety is the first priority,” he said.

Koh Samui Airport director Sirichai Charoenrat said that all flights between Bangkok and Samui were cancelled due to heavy downpours and poor visibility.

“The heavy downpours are continuing and thus we can’t say at this point when the flights can resume,” Sirichai said.

Bangkok Airways, which built the only airport in Samui, operates all flights between Bangkok and Samui. Usually there are 20 a day.

“We will immediately resume flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility has improved to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed,” he said. Koh Samui district chief Thirayuth Iamtrakoon said the main road around Samui was submerged.

--The Nation 2005-11-26

[john b good]

"Aside, we will immediately resume the flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility improves to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed," he said.

--The Nation 2005-11-25

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm, just a thought, can airplanes these days land with zero visibility, I thought that the landing procedure was all done on auto pilot?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep ! can do ! but &lt;deleted&gt; difficult with 500mm of water unless you are flying a float plane.

Edited November 25, 2005 by john b good

[NeilRichardson]

They use ILS but not all runways are equiped with it. Especially not smaller ones lika samui.

Neil

[mcfester]

It was a full plane that got diverted to Phuket and landed about 9pm Thursday night, the tourist demanded overnight stay, they got offered a refund but only if they flew back to BKK, they landed at BKK about 3am, then after sat at BKK for 9 hrs they did it again.

TIT, common sense just doesn't exist.

[mcfester]

try google earth

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Levent]

Yep ! can do ! but &lt;deleted&gt; difficult with 500mm of water unless you are flying a float plane. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that's an idea... start an airline here with flying boats. You could reach destinations such as Phuket, Phi Phi, Samui, Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang.

[hkt83100]

Bangkok Airways suspends Samui's flights

However, Sirichai Friday said the suspension of flights would not affect many tourists because it was now during the low season.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, why are all hotel prices up to high season level?

[hkt83100]

try google earth

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Definetely not, because those pictures were taken about 1 to 3 years ago. (Read the manual of Google Earth)

[OlRedEyes]

Bangkok Airways suspends Samui's flights

However, Sirichai Friday said the suspension of flights would not affect many tourists because it was now during the low season.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, why are all hotel prices up to high season level?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai economics. Low demand = higher prices to make up for less sales

[GoodHeart]

try google earth

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto!

Try: http://www.weather.com/maps/geography/asia...e_animated.html

[sbk]

Planes are coming in today, heard one flying overhead this morning. Runway must be a bit drier. The downpours slowed during the night and the heavy rains (at least on here) seem to be over (KNOCK ON WOOD!).

Now to fix the big hole behind our house

[SamuiRes]

Can anyone tell me where i can find online/ stream satelite-images about the wheater in  the S-A area, e.g Thailand

Thanx all

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try http://www.tmd.go.th/index_eng.php

A number of radar plots - not streaming and updated only every few hours, but give a good idea of what is out there.

According to the forecast we are in for it again mid week.

[srisatch]

Did I not read, somewhere, a while ago...that those ATRs they use are pretty safe but dodgy in very wet weather...were there not some rain induced crashes in the US?

[SamuiRes]

Floods sweep resort island

KOH SAMUI: -- Koh Samui was flooded yesterday following heavy downpours as run-off water from higher ground swept about 100 seaside bungalows into the sea. Koh Samui district office was under a metre of flood water.

Surat Thani Governor Wijit Wichaisarn urged residents to seek shelter and not to travel until the situation returns to normal.

“Safety is the first priority,” he said.

Koh Samui Airport director Sirichai Charoenrat said that all flights between Bangkok and Samui were cancelled due to heavy downpours and poor visibility.

“The heavy downpours are continuing and thus we can’t say at this point when the flights can resume,” Sirichai said.

Bangkok Airways, which built the only airport in Samui, operates all flights between Bangkok and Samui. Usually there are 20 a day.

“We will immediately resume flights as soon as we are sure that the visibility has improved to a level that passenger safety is guaranteed,” he said. Koh Samui district chief Thirayuth Iamtrakoon said the main road around Samui was submerged.

--The Nation 2005-11-26

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Electric was out until about 19.30 last night. Flooding during the day was horrendous. I was trying to get to my office and was lucky not to get stuck in very deep water but going home the roads were in a terrible state. Had to leave my car and wade to my house. My landlord, an old Samui resident, said this was the worst he had experienced in his life.

It is still pretty bad this morning. I live near Big Buddha and trying to get to my office near Bangkok Hospital this morning I could not get down the Beach Road beyond Focus supermarket - water was still waist deep. Then trying along the Lake Road, could not get past the rear entrance to Green Mango - waist deep there too. Found my way through to the back road at the bottom of the Runway and there was still flooding on the main road, but passable.

On a lighter note, living next to Wat Plai Laem which has a large lake fully stocked with fish - these are protected and the locals are not allowed to fish in there. However, the lake overflowed last night and in the midst of the chaos, the locals were out catching the fish that had escaped!

Edited November 26, 2005 by SamuiRes