Transportation Still The Number One Issue Over Phuket Airport's Expansion Project

[webfact]

Transportation still the number one issue over Phuket airport's expansion project

Phuket Gazette

Artists impression of the check-in hall at Phuket’s improved airport. Photo: AOT

Flying Officer Chaturongkapon believes both terminals will be completed by 2015. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The tricky subject of transportation overshadowed other matters at a meeting intended to address concerns over Phuket International Airport’s expansion project.

The meeting which was held at Kata Beach Resort last Thursday, was well attended by both public and private sector representatives from Phang Nga, Krabi and Phuket.

Chairing the meeting were Tuyaratt Achariyachai, Chairwoman of the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, Pratuang Sornkham, Director of Phuket Airport and Chaturongkapon Sodmanee, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) executive vice president of engineering and information technology.

The matters discussed at the meeting ranged from restroom facilities, car parking, taxi services, the number of immigration counters and general safety issues.

Flying Officer (Flg Off) Chaturongkapon started by stating that the international terminal is expected to be finished in 2014 and the domestic terminal completed by the beginning of 2015.

The estimated costs for the expansion, expected to handle 12.5 million passengers a year, is 5.791 billion baht.

A request for AOT to add more immigration counters was made by Chairwoman Tunyaratt.

“The number of passengers arriving during September 2010 to October 2011 was about 8.2 million. That’s about 20,000 passengers a day last year, and this year it’s increased to 32,000 a day,” she said.

“During the construction we have to think how to not cause unnecessary delays for the tourists,” she added.

Flg Off Chaturongkapon replied “We are planning to set up more immigration counters, taking the total from 42 to 60.”

Methee Tanmanatragul, adviser from the Thai Hotels Association, noted that the way airport taxi services are currently managed needed changing.

He suggested that Phuket Airport use the model employed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, where taxis queue up, the drivers paying a 50 baht fee.

Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Anurak Tansiriroj, also had an observation concerning the airport transportation.

“I have heard that taxis are expensive because the drivers have to pay a high commission to pick up passengers. Also the taxi drivers are very competitive in trying to get passengers and have grabbed tourists. This is a problem that needs to be fixed, because internationally it doesn’t look good,” he said.

Garun Panitpichetvong, Pheu Thai Party director, asked that the project move forward without corruption, and also commented on transportation matters.

“The parking lot allocation needs to be solved. Right now limousines, taxi vans and taxi cars take up most of the parking spaces,” she said.

Patong Mayor Pian’s request for more runways was noted by Flg Off Chaturongkapon, but he explained that the airplanes are only using 2,000 meters of the 3,000 meter runway for take-offs and landings. He also pointed out that building more runways would have an adverse effect on the environment.

There were also requests to establish plans for rubbish management as well as management of shops inside the airport.

“All issues brought up in the meeting we will considered to improve the plan,” Flg Off Chaturongkapon told participants.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12227.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-02-06

[LivinginKata]

He suggested that Phuket Airport use the model employed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, where taxis queue up, the drivers paying a 50 baht fee.

Ahhh but that be real meter taxis that switch on their meters.

And this other gem

“I have heard that taxis are expensive because the drivers have to pay a high commission to pick up passengers. Also the taxi drivers are very competitive in trying to get passengers and have grabbed tourists. This is a problem that needs to be fixed, because internationally it doesn’t look good,” he said.

But it's the Airport that charges high rates for the taxi franchise. Is anyone in authority living in the real world

[BigJohnnyBKK]

But it's the Airport that charges high rates for the taxi franchise. Is anyone in authority living in the real world

As long as the day-to-day operations are actually overseen and properly regulated, it shouldn't be a problem, people don't mind paying a reasonable taxi surcharge as long as they know what it is. But they *don't* want to be hassled, nor to have uncertainty about the rates, end up being browbeaten into paying some arbitrary amount.

[Jimi007]

Patong Mayor Pian’s request for more runways was noted by Flg Off Chaturongkapon, but he explained that the airplanes are only using 2,000 meters of the 3,000 meter runway for take-offs and landings.

What does this have to do with MORE runways? Or did Mayor Pian, who is a major part of Phuket's problems, mean longer runways? Probably not... There always seems to be domestic flight delays, so how will only expanding the terminal enable the airport to actually handle more flights and capacity? I'm guessing their thinking is a larger captive crowd to shop at their (AOT) shops they rent. Short sided, greedy thinking as usual.

[Payboy]

but he explained that the airplanes are only using 2,000 meters of the 3,000 meter runway for take-offs and landings.

Hope that's the first 2000m.