Bangkok's Airport Of Smiles In Crisis

[SuneeTH]

The only problem I see is that this airport is design by a Farang who don't understand Thai or Thailand.

[EvilDrSomkid]

All the moaning about long waits in immigration pale in comparison to crap runways and iffy radar systems.

I can deal with waiting (on the ground). cracking runways, sinkholes and <deleted> management is something else.

Did they have these issues at Don Muang?

I am briefly going to Europe in September. I hope that the worst has been fixed by then.

(yeah, and pigs will fly)

Edited July 14, 2012 by EvilDrSomkid

[Reasonableman]

The only problem I see is that this airport is design by a Farang who don't understand Thai or Thailand.

Maybe you can explain, so that all farang can finally understand. ;-)

[mrtoad]

The only problem I see is that this airport is design by a Farang who don't understand Thai or Thailand.

You are a bigoted tool

[dunque]

Just departed thru the airport a few days ago and no problems leaving, thru immigration in about 15 min.., we where a bit late departing but the airplane arrived late. When I arrived from the Philippines earlier thru immigration in about 20 min no hassel. In the end all you can use to measure the airports preformance is your own experience.

...or your jaundiced prejudice, which appears to be the tool of choice of many on here. They should try Heathrow <deleted>!

[dunque]

Remember that the Air France Concorde was brought down by a small piece of debris on the runway that ruptured a fuel tank. Disintegrating runways are not a good thing.

The debris had been shed from a previous US airliner - nothing to do with the runway. Disintegrating aircraft are not a good thing.

[Cornichon88]

This just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing as how I'm flying in on a new 590 ton Airbus A380 in 45 days.

Just wear the adequate thai Buddha amulette and everything should be OK.

[MEL1]

This just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing as how I'm flying in on a new 590 ton Airbus A380 in 45 days.

Per Thai standard and regulation will it take a major disaster at Suvarnabhumi before these issues get addressed?

See you in the runway!

-mel.

[ozziebloke]

I came through the airport 2 days ago and was pleasantly surprised. I passed through immigration in around 10 minutes and had my baggage in hand around 30 minutes after the plane had touched down. There have been big improvements in the immigration area, so credit where credit's due.

And i came through in December 20 minutes from landing to the taxi

[MaiChai]

Its very easy to be negative. However, Bangkok, Ayuttaya, etc, are on a flood plane. So where can you build a new airport? Virtually every factory in this area is built on flood plane/sinking land! I remember when the airport was being built and a huge amount of earth was moved to fill the swamp. As with most Thai projects, the build is done at breakneck speed and no time is made to allow the ground to settle; however sink age will happen anyway. Thus ongoing problems are inevitable. Thailand is not alone in this respect; look at the airport at Osaka, which is built on a man made island, and has also suffered sinking. Whats the answer? Live with the problems and fix them as they arise?

[thaikahuna]

At DM things were slow because the airport was over maximum capacity but they worked. At Swampy, things have been slow since day one. Piss poor design (not through architectual fault) by meddling bureaucratrs with no bloody clue. I won't even touch on the topic of corruption. The place is a billion dollar boondoggle.

[MEL1]

Its very easy to be negative. However, Bangkok, Ayuttaya, etc, are on a flood plane. So where can you build a new airport? Virtually every factory in this area is built on flood plane/sinking land! I remember when the airport was being built and a huge amount of earth was moved to fill the swamp. As with most Thai projects, the build is done at breakneck speed and no time is made to allow the ground to settle; however sink age will happen anyway. Thus ongoing problems are inevitable. Thailand is not alone in this respect; look at the airport at Osaka, which is built on a man made island, and has also suffered sinking. Whats the answer? Live with the problems and fix them as they arise?

Where can you build a new airport? Hum?

Does Korat ever flood? Is there high ground around Korat? Is there plenty of land available in and around Korat? Land settle - errm about 5 billion years.

Does Saraburi ever flood? Is there high ground around Saraburi? Is there land available in and around Saraburi? Land settle - errm about 5 billion years.

Do we need rocket science to decide where to build an airport?

No! We need uncorrupt Ministers, who own land in none of the areas discussed, and who won't profit from the choice of land for an airport in order to silverline their back ass pockets.

Unfortunately, the Shinawatras owned most of the land where Suvarnabhumi was built, along with their cronies.

There is plenty of land that does not flood, and believe me, none of the Ministers own it, as their dirty hands are in rice and shit fields. Dry land is of no interest to them, as it is not arable land.

So Thailand IS alone in this crooked mess, AND it all stems from the top. Pisses me off no end, and you need a rethink!

And, just to add, you can get to bangkok a lot quicker from Korat and Saraburi than from that junkyard called Suvarnabhumi, because all the roads leading from there to BKK are also sinking and under constant repair!

It's not often, but by Buddha your post made me vehement. You didn't think one iota about other possibilities, but made excuses for Suva being the way it is. Pathetic!

Now, I'll have a beer and chill.

-mel.

[SOEYCHANLOY]

Did you already smile at suwarnaboom boom airport?.... Unless you are an happy idiot?

"the airport of smiles" Who called it so at first? Ministry of tourism?

Na?

Sent from my GT-S5830T using Thaivisa Connect App

[apetley]

Remember that the Air France Concorde was brought down by a small piece of debris on the runway that ruptured a fuel tank. Disintegrating runways are not a good thing.

This is exactly the reason why I don't buy French technology.

Anything French for that matter...

Their bread's nice.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[travelmann]

No probs blame the farang architect...................problem solved.

[travelmann]

Remember that the Air France Concorde was brought down by a small piece of debris on the runway that ruptured a fuel tank. Disintegrating runways are not a good thing.

This is exactly the reason why I don't buy French technology.

But sadly for Concorde the piece of junk was off an AMERICAN dc plane badly repaired.

Nowt wrong with Concorde and it was joint anglo french

[bigbamboo]

This just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing as how I'm flying in on a new 590 ton Airbus A380 in 45 days.

Per Thai standard and regulation will it take a major disaster at Suvarnabhumi before these issues get addressed?

Warm and fuzzy sounds like a good condition to be in when you land at Swampy.... the fuzzier the better in fact.

[kutjebu]

Mai pen rai.

[SunSeek01]

It compares favorably compared to many other airports.

[nosatisfaction]

"Designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn Architects of Chicago, the airport was in trouble the day it opened,"

Somehow I don't think the original designs called for substandard materials. Nor was there a section in the designs titled: "Shortcuts no one should notice".

isn't the architect supposed to supervise the materials and construction, or is he just paid to make nice drawings? as the last terminal they built in RCGG(Paris) that collapsed 2 months upon completion.

[Laothai]

It doesn't take a phd to conclude that the airport has major flaws. I saw flaws the first time I walked into the check-in terminal.... A multi-million dollar airport that uses large umbrellas at each of the check in counters to keep staff out of the sun... <deleted>??? All the decision makers at the top have no common sense whatsoever.

[spidermike007]

Just departed thru the airport a few days ago and no problems leaving, thru immigration in about 15 min.., we where a bit late departing but the airplane arrived late. When I arrived from the Philippines earlier thru immigration in about 20 min no hassel. In the end all you can use to measure the airports preformance is your own experience.

Very good point indeed. I suppose as long as we do not see it, it does not matter too much, short of an accident being caused by a runway falling apart. But, the fact that it was closed so often suggests a level of motivation when it comes to maintenance. Overall, I find Swampy to be a delightful airport. The only improvement I could suggest is making it easier to find the free wifi passwords. One has to really search for an information counter to get one.

[SouthernMan3]

The Bangkok Post reported that 3 mafias have divided up the airport.

My guess?

The Army.

The Police.

Relatives of the invisible hand.

red shirts.

The red shirts are the ones that built the dam_n place in the first place !

[SouthernMan3]

Just departed thru the airport a few days ago and no problems leaving, thru immigration in about 15 min.., we where a bit late departing but the airplane arrived late. When I arrived from the Philippines earlier thru immigration in about 20 min no hassel. In the end all you can use to measure the airports preformance is your own experience.

This is very true.

I use Swampy many times (sometimes a dozen) a year and it's usually smooth as silk.

Then again, I hardly ever check bags.....

[nosatisfaction]

Just departed thru the airport a few days ago and no problems leaving, thru immigration in about 15 min.., we where a bit late departing but the airplane arrived late. When I arrived from the Philippines earlier thru immigration in about 20 min no hassel. In the end all you can use to measure the airports preformance is your own experience.

Exactly, I 've been flying in and out this airport at least twice a month since day 1, Immigration in or out average 20mins, sometimes a bit longer. Luggage collecting also average 20 mins. Some airports better, some a lot worse eg, RCDG (Paris) Luggage , every time , +/_ 45mins. Immigration, even for Europeans , if you don't have the Automatc Passport Control, at least 1 Hour, 2 officers for European Passport holders + 2 for non European.

there are 5 destinations arriving same time, around 6am, Bangkok, Singapore, Los Angeles, etc. Approx. 1800 Pax at the same time...............Immagine'

[TackyToo]

This just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing as how I'm flying in on a new 590 ton Airbus A380 in 45 days.

Per Thai standard and regulation will it take a major disaster at Suvarnabhumi before these issues get addressed?

The question suggests you are the only one in doubt.

[nosatisfaction]

Just departed thru the airport a few days ago and no problems leaving, thru immigration in about 15 min.., we where a bit late departing but the airplane arrived late. When I arrived from the Philippines earlier thru immigration in about 20 min no hassel. In the end all you can use to measure the airports preformance is your own experience.

Exactly, I 've been flying in and out this airport at least twice a month since day 1, Immigration in or out average 20mins, sometimes a bit longer. Luggage collecting also average 20 mins. Some airports better, some a lot worse eg, RCDG (Paris) Luggage , every time , +/_ 45mins. Immigration, even for Europeans , if you don't have the Automatc Passport Control, at least 1 Hour, 2 officers for European Passport holders + 2 for non European.

there are 5 destinations arriving same time, around 6am, Bangkok, Singapore, Los Angeles, etc. Approx. 1800 Pax at the same time...............Immagine'

I forgot to mention, the only better in Don Muang, there were a lot more smoking areas.

[intravox]

The element of surprise is entirely inappropriate given the entire project was supervised by Thaksin's crew and managed by AOT, the

the most bare-faced mafia ever to gain serious control of a public service in Thailand - even including the SRT; and supervised by the most corrupt of all the Ministries - Transport. When Thaksin forced the goons to open the airport too soon, it was a year behind schedule because of the fixes required...did he care? When a clown runs the show, you get what you expect. The corrupt in Thailand will stoop to any level to outdo their hideous cronies. And that's why you have half an airport, floating on an old swamp with half the concrete missing...I believe there were some expat engineers involved too in this laughable project...any word from any of them recently?

[SouthernMan3]

Remember that the Air France Concorde was brought down by a small piece of debris on the runway that ruptured a fuel tank. Disintegrating runways are not a good thing.

This is exactly the reason why I don't buy French technology.

You keep buying your AJ stuff lol

Sorry for my ignorance but what's AJ stuff ?

[dcsw53]

"Designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn Architects of Chicago, the airport was in trouble the day it opened,"

Somehow I don't think the original designs called for substandard materials. Nor was there a section in the designs titled: "Shortcuts no one should notice".

But it is up to the architect to scrutinise the project management, as it will be them that get the bad press as in this case.