Unplanned plane arrivals at Pattaya-Utapao Airport following Radar Failure in Bangkok

SATTAHIP:--A radar failure at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok caused some diversions to the Pattaya-Utapao Airport located 45 minutes outside of Pattaya City on Thursday Night.

A total of 6 aircraft were forced to land at the Pattaya-Utapao Airport as they were running out of fuel while others continued to maintain a holding pattern above Bangkok until the radar system came online again. It took 40 minutes to re-start the system after the failure of a back-up system.

The six aircraft which included an international Thai Airways flight and a number of cargo planes refuelled without incident and later took off and continued on to Bangkok. The Ministry of Transport are looking into the incident and confirmed that Don Muang Airport in Bangkok was also out-of-action as the two airports share the same radar system. An electrical short circuit with a UPS power system was the cause of the problem which automatically shut-down the entire radar system in Bangkok.

Full story:http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/57539/unplanned-plane-arrivals-pattaya-utapao-airport-radar-failure-bangkok/

-- Pattaya One 2012-06-22

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Wow, I need the same. Would save me a 2 hour trip from BKK to pattaya

The two airports share the same radar? That's comforting to know

A major international hub airport, along with it's alternate, shut down for 40 minutes by a short circuit? It doesn't inspire confidence in the management of the airport.

The two airports share the same radar? That's comforting to know

That means double the amount of people who are sleeping, who should be watching the radars.