Suvarnabhumi Airport Phase 2 Expansion: A O T To Hire Design Consultant

[webfact]

AOT
AOT to hire design consultant for Phase 2 expansion of Suvarnabhumi
Nongnapas Maiphanit
The Nation

Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok Inner Courtyard

File photo, source: Wikipedia.org

BANGKOK: -- Airports of Thailand (AOT) will hire an airport-design consultant for Phase 2 of its expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport. The expansion is expected to be complete by 2016.

The company also plans to bring in smart cards and barcode technology to speed up its immigration services and alleviate congestion at Bangkok's main airport.

Sitta Tivari, chairman of AOT's board of directors, said the agency estimated that more than 50 million passengers would pass through Suvarnabhumi this year, exceeding its official capacity of 45 million. Some congestion is inevitable during peak hours. To help alleviate the problem, AOT plans to offer discounts for flights during non-peak hours, he said.

Smart cards and barcode technology will improve immigration services and reduce waiting times for passengers, he said.

For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little as 10 seconds.

However, such measures are not long-term solutions to relieve airport congestion, say critics. The design for the Bt62.5-billion Phase 2 expansion could take another 10 months to complete.

AOT will select the construction contractor to lead the expansion in March next year.

Yesterday, it signed an agreement to hire MAA 103 Group, which will design the four-storey 216,000-square-metre terminal building of Phase 2, next to 28 aircraft parking spots connecting the south-end tunnel with passenger-transport systems. The total cost of the project is estimated at Bt722 million.

AOT has also hired PSS Consortium to design and oversee the Bt63.97-billion infrastructure works, including plumbing, electrical supply and a cold-water system for air-conditioning and wastewater treatment.


-- The Nation 2013-05-11

[sjjmmi]

Another scam for money

[bigbamboo]

Wish they'd done that for phase one.

[lomatopo]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632535-suvarnabhumi-airport-expansion/

[chainarong]

The long pocket brigade will be out in force on this one , when the Dubai mouth was head honcho, corruption was rife with swampy, nothings changed , same old names , same arrogance, the more for me syndrome.

[AyG]

Excellent. Just what the airport needs: more space for King Power outlets.

[Thai at Heart]

Hey,

Expand away. Would anyone be over the moon to hear they hadn't employed a consultant. Is this news?

[IMA_FARANG]

Wish they'd done that for phase one.

They did have a "renowned internationally known architect", a German who designed the main terminal to have a retro "post-industrial" look.

That's why swampy looks a old run down factory building from the 1950's in Germany.

(You may disagree, but I hate the look of swampy inside, all those cables and metal bolts.)

Hopefully this time they will understand that the main reason for an airport is to be an AIRPORT first and NOT a shopping mall, with an airport attached to it ... as it is now.

[jackhardoon]

Swampi never did eia or hia before construction and have totally ignore their neighbors suffering with pollution and noise that was supposed to have been assisted under the cabinet decision and funding that had already been paid up to aot but never reached the suffering neighbours , (a lot of money was spend decorating the garden as seen in photo) and tree implant around the airport perimeter to stop pollution and noise i wonder whether the green fingers of a Dubia expat was the initiative or his entourage working on commissioned as a gardener. Whatever it is the Swampi only holds the clan of politician as priority and nobody else, they take turn at the trough.....

[Neilly]

Judging by the other thread running at the moment I hope they get the smoking rooms right this time

[55Jay]

.

[PoodMaiDai]

My neighbor drives a taxi, he is qualified to do this job. How can I throw his name in the hat?

[hellodolly]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart
cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little
as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

[whybother]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

Or you can go through with her ...

[rubl]

So, the airport buildings being expanded to handle up to 55+++ million passengers, 28 extra airplane parking spots. Now the next question: can those two runways handle more traffic and can the traffic get off/on fast enough?

[lomatopo]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

I guess if Thais can use automated kiosks then there are more live officers available for foreigners. That's how it works in the U.S with Global Entry. Seems straightforward enough for me to comprehend.

[hellodolly]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

I guess if Thais can use automated kiosks then there are more live officers available for foreigners. That's how it works in the U.S with Global Entry. Seems straightforward enough for me to comprehend.

Welcome to Thailand

[aguy30]

It appears that they were included in the original design of Suvarnabhumi. That doesn't build my confidence level. Why not hire the planners/designers for Singapore Changi or Hong Kong airports?

http://www.maa.com.tw/en/index.asp

Track Records

• Southern International Airport Project & Kaohsiung International Port Overall Development, Taiwan
• New Air Cargo Terminal in Kaohsiung Airport, Taiwan
• Song Shan International Airport Runway Rehabilitation, Taiwan
• Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand
  • Engineering feasibility study
  • Master plan of real estate development
  • Preliminary & detailed design of cargo terminal, landside road systems, ground improvements, fire & rescuer station, and service buildings
  • Independent design check of passenger terminal
  • Construction supervision of airfield pavement (ground improvement & pavement for runway/apron/taxiway),
  • Design and construction supervision of landside road systems (ground improvement & pavement for at-grade and elevated roads)
• Extension of Chiang Mai International Airport and domestic airports in provinces of Petchaboon, Chanthaburi, Phrae, Lumpang & Mae Hong Son, Thailand
• Sihanoukville International Airport (Kang Keng Airport), Cambodia

http://www.maathai.com/worldwide.html

Their Thai experience isn't very impressive. http://www.maathai.com/project_list.php

They should also be involved in the Don Muang upgrade and the Airport sky train expansion. The big question is if the Thai government and the puppet master will let MAA do a proper job without interfering. I wonder if corruption will be in the calculations.

[aguy30]

I believe the additions will bring Suvarnabhumi right up to full capacity at it's completion date in 2016. That means it will be no better than now, just bigger. Wouldn't it make more sense to add additional capacity for the 10 years period after the expansion completion to stay ahead of the growth in the way Singapore does it?

Can't help wondering if there will be proper people movers like shuttle trains from plane gates to immigration. It is the longest distance I ever had to travel at the many airports I have been to.

Edited May 11, 2013 by aguy30

[Hornell]

Thinking back to a recent thread about the lack of facilities at Swampy, particularly for the elderly, let's just hope that a geriatric advisor or two are included as part of the design team.

[rodroy]

No doubt the "consultant" is related to Thaksin or his brother-in-law!

If it's legit will they ever implement any of the reccommendations?

[Greer]

Wish they'd done that for phase one.

They did have a "renowned internationally known architect", a German who designed the main terminal to have a retro "post-industrial" look.

That's why swampy looks a old run down factory building from the 1950's in Germany.

(You may disagree, but I hate the look of swampy inside, all those cables and metal bolts.)

Hopefully this time they will understand that the main reason for an airport is to be an AIRPORT first and NOT a shopping mall, with an airport attached to it ... as it is now.

Suvarnabhumi Airport is exactly like all other airports I have ever used anywhere (notable exception - Riyadh - which had nothing at all last time I was there), in that they have large "duty free" shopping areas attached - if not, what the hell are tens of thousands of people going to do for hours on end sitting in a terminal?

The design is perfectly fine, and is very similar to many other modern airports around the world, but if you prefer the boxes of the 1970's style like DMK, that's your choice - I prefer large open airy spaces.

Knowing the way things happen in Asia, I think the implementation at Cobra Swamp may not have completely followed all of the original designers concepts...

[Greer]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

If your wife is Thai, you can go through the Thai passport processing line with her. I do this all the time, and have for the last 20 years, no problem.

[Mudcrab]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

Now you can rush through immigration........and then wait 20 minutes like everybody else for your bags to be offloaded onto the carousel.

Why does 10 or 20 minutes mean such a big thing after spending 10, 15 or 20 hours travelling ????

or even 2 hours for the "locals"

Edited May 11, 2013 by Mudcrab

[Mudcrab]

I believe the additions will bring Suvarnabhumi right up to full capacity at it's completion date in 2016. That means it will be no better than now, just bigger. Wouldn't it make more sense to add additional capacity for the 10 years period after the expansion completion to stay ahead of the growth in the way Singapore does it?

Can't help wondering if there will be proper people movers like shuttle trains from plane gates to immigration. It is the longest distance I ever had to travel at the many airports I have been to.

God help us.......you just flown xxxx miles and now they expect you to actually walk.......damn third world countries!!!! The very nerve of it .

[dunque]

Well I see they are going to have a bar code system to speed up the nationals.

They say

"For example, Thai nationals will be offered the option of using smart

cards instead of passports, to clear immigration processing in as little

as 10 seconds."

How is this going to speed up some one from another country with a passport.

Every time the wife and I have come in there she got in the line for the Thais and I got in the line for internationals and invarably she had to wait for me. Now she can wait longer.

Oooh , I don't know, maybe this might free up an immigration officers so more could be allocated to the international queues - just a guess.

[aguy30]

I believe the additions will bring Suvarnabhumi right up to full capacity at it's completion date in 2016. That means it will be no better than now, just bigger. Wouldn't it make more sense to add additional capacity for the 10 years period after the expansion completion to stay ahead of the growth in the way Singapore does it?

Can't help wondering if there will be proper people movers like shuttle trains from plane gates to immigration. It is the longest distance I ever had to travel at the many airports I have been to.

God help us.......you just flown xxxx miles and now they expect you to actually walk.......damn third world countries!!!! The very nerve of it .

Guess you never had the joy of landing at one of the very farthest gates from immigration after a very long flight. That's probably the longest of any airport.

A more knowledgeable person with more travel experience will understand what I said, but that won't slow you down with your comments.

Edited May 11, 2013 by aguy30

[smutcakes]

God knows what countries everyone on here complaining is from, I still have no idea why people complain so much about swampy. You get dropped off 50 metres from check in, check in has always been fine for me, or no different from any other international airport. Departures is right next to check in and again security check and customs takes a few minutes, but again no different to other large international airports. The departures hall is a bit strangely designed, and takes a bit of walking if you want to go from one side to the next, but this is hardly a major problem unless you are disabled.

The same with arrivals- get off plane, into customs, sometimes its quick, sometimes its slow- normally depending on arrival time, same as many international airports- same with waiting for your baggage. Once through, taxis are easy and quick to find, the airport link is quick and convenient even if its destination stations etc are not that great, and if you have driven the car parks are linked directly to the main terminal via a 1 minute walk.

Being British and having the most experience of flying from and into those airports, other than BKK, i can categorically state that I would choose BKK over them every day of the week. Why is there so much complaining about the airport, i really don't get it.

[rubl]

Amazing. I ask a simple question and get no answer. Let's try again one more time

Anybody out there who can tell if this Airport Phase 2 Extention (to allow upto 55+++ million passengers a year) is just a better match between passenger limits and the maximum airplane movements for the two runways? Will the extention move a problem to longer airplane queues waiting for a slot to access the runway?

What's happening with runway three and four? In May 2012 we still had then Transport Minister Chatchart Sittipan say "he wants to see preparation for the completion of runways three and four at Suvarnabhumi Airport and settlement of noise pollution claims"