Suvarnabhumi Airport Will Not Open In July

[Maejo Man]

The saga continues, with heavy penalties threatened if it's not completed on time. This will just end up as a major project that has been rushed to completion, with countless flaws

Airport 'unlikely to open in July'

Deputy minister finds 'very serious' flaws

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Suvarnabhumi airport is unlikely to open in July, as Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal earlier said it would, due to time-consuming work and repairs that need to be carried out, according to his deputy Gen Chainant Charoensiri. Gen Chainant guided civil engineers from the Air Force and the Supreme Command at the new Bangkok airport yesterday and he said he could see ''very serious'' problems in the construction thanks to the surprise visit.

He found that 95 out of 102 sheets of roofing fabric on concourse buildings had to be corrected and only two of them had been finished. Of the 95 sheets, 14 must be replaced and the rest repaired.

Staff of ITO Joint Venture, the contractor, reported that the roofing would need at least six months to finish because the fabric would take about three weeks for replacement and a month for repairs, Gen Chainant said.

His delegation also found a number of cracks on the floors of concourse buildings. Water oozed up from them due to the leaking pipes of air-conditioning facilities.

Even after the airport construction is finished, it must still undergo integrated tests to ensure smooth operations.

At present, facilities can only be tested separately. Any immediate operation after only separate tests could lead to problems, he said.

Although airlines need to know the exact opening schedule of the airport, Gen Chainant declined to comment on that yesterday.

At present, all parties are aware that they must finish their work in July to keep their contracts but the government committee supervising the airport project will discuss real construction progress next Tuesday, he said.

Gen Chainant also declined to comment on a report that ITO is seeking the extension of its deadlines for the completion of the new airport by three months.

According to a source at the Transport Ministry, the consortium is seeking the extension to avoid a combined fine of 10 million baht a day in the event it cannot complete the passenger terminal and the concourse buildings at Suvarnabhumi airport in time.

ITO representative Jumpote Kanchanapanyakom said the joint venture would increase its workforce and equipment to finish the construction within June, which its deadline.

However, a source in ITO revealed that many parts of the construction had yet to be done and they were time-consuming.

Airlines are aware of the problem and have not yet entered the airport to establish their facilities. Normally airlines would enter a new airport three months before its opening, the source said

[corkscrew]

Suvarnabhumi. It is a lot harder to get there than it is to remember its spelling or how to pronounce it. Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok's new (still under construction) international airport. As of now the roads leading to this airport don't give you too many clues as to where you are supposed to go. Using a paper map we headed in the direction of Pattaya. About 25 kilometers from home Golf noticed a small blue sign that told us that our target was off the motorway. Anyway, after about 90 minutes of driving and some 70 kilometers we arrived at the terminal. Five kilometers before that my Garmin Street Pilot showed no map: only the message "You are driving north."

The airport is truly spectacular. It is much bigger than the pictures suggest. Since it was the Sunday of a long holiday weekend there were no other vehicles on the terminal access road. At the terminal itself only a few workers were about.

OK, now it's time to put the Garmin to a tough test: find us the way "HOME" via the web of minor roads and motorways that got us here. First we had to retrace our steps back to the point where the Garmin gave up. At that point I pushed "HOME" and we hoped for the best. ######, if the thing didn't do a perfect job of getting us back into downtown Bangkok. And that is saying a lot. Bangkok's motorways are not like most of those in the US. Rather, the system resembles a plate of mixed size noodles. There are so many forks, loops, ramps and really strange entrances that ... well ... it can nearly drive you to drink-and-drive.

Anyway, we made it back to the top of Silom Road in 29 minutes....yes, it was a long holiday Sunday with very little traffic. The Garmin suggested 42 minutes for the driving time.

[lomatopo]

Suvarnabhumi. It is a lot harder to get there than it is to remember its spelling or how to pronounce it. Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok's new (still under construction) international airport. As of now the roads leading to this airport don't give you too many clues as to where you are supposed to go.

I took a car service from Bangkok to Pattaya last week. I wasn't paying too much attention but did notice multiple GIGANTIC blue signs with the words "Suvarnabhumi Airport" and HUGE arrows along with the international airplane logo indicating the direction to the new airport. And the control tower is of course visible for 50+ kM.

I assume that when (if?) it opens it will be pretty easy to find.

The Google Earth image is pretty old...

[corkscrew]

Suvarnabhumi. It is a lot harder to get there than it is to remember its spelling or how to pronounce it. Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok's new (still under construction) international airport. As of now the roads leading to this airport don't give you too many clues as to where you are supposed to go.

I took a car service from Bangkok to Pattaya last week. I wasn't paying too much attention but did notice multiple GIGANTIC blue signs with the words "Suvarnabhumi Airport" and HUGE arrows along with the international airplane logo indicating the direction to the new airport. And the control tower is of course visible for 50+ kM.

I assume that when (if?) it opens it will be pretty easy to find.

The Google Earth image is pretty old...

I am sure that when it opens there will be lots of signs to the airport. When we drove there we were using a paper map and some of the roads that we used, though looking more direct were not. We chewed up a lot of kilometers going the wrong way.

I think the place will open in September.

I was really impressed at how complete it looks now....and it is HUGE. Since it was a holiday weekend Sunday we were able to drive in with a minimum of checks....my Thai friend said she needed to give something to her cousin who worked in the catering department.

I really love my Garmin Road Pilot (GPS). It make driving anywhere in BKK by car so much easier. It is a real motoring freedom.

[lomatopo]

I am sure that when it opens there will be lots of signs to the airport.

I think the place will open in September.

As I mentioned, the signs are already in place.

The "place" might open in September; please share the year with us. 2007 is lookin' good.

It does look impressive from the air, I have to admit.

[Rinrada]

Although a lot of us knock it now and then...eg cracks in the runways (wot..?)located in wrong place...Sam Prat ..(very handy)only Tuk Tuks will be able to drop off and pick up etc.... recon really that we are ALL looking forward to the day that it opens.

Don Muang was a nice little romantic and exotic arrival point 25 years ago (single track road into town) and summed up LOS very well but of course times move on and Bangers has certainly got soooo much better.

OK.. so it might be another year or so before its really finished (or 2-3)but its been on the cards for something like half a centuary and as they say (jesu..C ) the best things in life are worth waiting for....dear dear... .........roll on Su-wanna......

[corkscrew]

I am sure that when it opens there will be lots of signs to the airport.

I think the place will open in September.

As I mentioned, the signs are already in place.

The "place" might open in September; please share the year with us. 2007 is lookin' good.

It does look impressive from the air, I have to admit.

I think that the 'strange' route that we took avoided all the big signs for the airport. It was a 'new' road for us so we were vague about what we were up to.