Delays Foreseen In Opening Of New Airport

[penzman]

On the other hand:

New airport awaits certifying body's safety approval

Published on May 24, 2006

Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal says he expects the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to approve safety standards at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on July 6, paving the way for commercial operations.

http://nationmultimedia.com/search/page.ne...d=6&id=30004748

Just remember this key word. They seem to think this inspection will be a breeze...

Meanwhile, they just can't help coming up with dates for the official opening, only to lose face in the end. Like moths on a lightbulb, they just can't help it.

[Netfan]

What???!!! A big party with free booze and girls and a little envelope for everyone isnt going to guarantee approval?

[PeaceBlondie]

Surely I'm not the first to say this, but this airport fiasco reminds my that

You don't need to watch TV (television) for entertainment...

Just stay tuned to TV (ThaiVisa)

[penzman]

Surely I'm not the first to say this, but this airport fiasco reminds my that

You don't need to watch TV (television) for entertainment...

Just stay tuned to TV (ThaiVisa)

If it the construction of this airtport were given a television show name, it sure couldn't be called Law & Order or The Price is Right.

Here are a few suggestions from real TV show titles from the past:

It's About Time , Mission: Impossible , It Takes a Thief , The Rookies , Shaft , One Day at a Time , The Paper Chase , Keep It in the Family , Yes Minister , Who's the Boss? , Yes Prime Minister , Probe , Dream On , Under Suspicion , The Naked Truth , Spin City ,

, Gimme Gimme Gimme , Above the Law , Deadline , The Amazing Race , The Ripping Friends, Crime & Punishment , Less Than Perfect, Still Standing , The Apprentice.

[sriracha john]

Airport opening now set for September

New deadline greeted with much scepticism

First it was June, then August, then October _ and yesterday the opening date for the much-delayed Suvarnabhumi airport was changed again, for the fourth time this month. This time, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra waded in and brought the deadline forward a bit to September.

The aviation industry remained largely unconvinced.

One of Mr Thaksin's first tasks after his controversial 45-day political break was to chair the Suvarnabhumi development committee, and he placed speeding up the airport's construction at the top of the agenda.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/26May2006_news07.php

-------------------------------------------------------------------

television news showed the "Dr." on a walkabout tour, pausing to discuss the cracks in the terminal floor, running the entire length of the walkway...

also noticeable was that all work was stopped while the tour entourage made their way slowly about the airport... delaying it's completion even further...

[Netfan]

''Don't worry. Experts told me they [the cracks] could be fixed,'' Mr Thaksin said.

Right, what else are these "experts" going to tell him if they want to keep thier jobs? they know if they dont say that, he'lll just replace them with someone who will.

"Mr Chotesak said they might have to use buses from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to serve airport passengers and get trolleys from Don Muang if ground service facilities were not ready in time."

That should impress all the high season travelers. Just do the job right. It's an airport, not a shopping mall!

[ovenman]

"Mr Chotesak said they might have to use buses from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to serve airport passengers and get trolleys from Don Muang if ground service facilities were not ready in time."

That should impress all the high season travelers. Just do the job right. It's an airport, not a shopping mall!

Maybe they could use some of the little green buses that run in Bangkok? That would be sure to impress the first-time visitors.

I have a very hard time understanding why it's so godawful important to shave a couple weeks off this process and rush to get this airport open before it's ready. Remember, this project has been in the works since 1960! Another couple weeks or months added won't really matter in the great scheme of things. Why not pick a date that seems realistic (e.g. 05 December) and shoot for that reachable target rather than go through this daily farce of moving the opening date, soft openings, hard openings, semi-openings, etc.?

[Plus]

It MUST be open before the elections sometime in October.

[stumonster]

''Don't worry. Experts told me they [the cracks] could be fixed,'' Mr Thaksin said.

um... what cracks mr 't' .....

[bkkjosh]

''Don't worry. Experts told me they [the cracks] could be fixed,'' Mr Thaksin said.

um... what cracks mr 't' .....

I have serious doubts the airport will be open and operating by October...

[Plus]

No, they'll open it as soon as they get the permission from IAAA, cracks and the rest will be fixed later.

[Netfan]

No, they'll open it as soon as they get the permission from IAAA, cracks and the rest will be fixed later.

I don't know what is involved in the IAAA approval process, but would leaking roofs, cracking walkways and ground service facilities be of concern to them? Or would it only be air traiffic control, runways, security, baggage, etc?

[Toni]

Delays foreseen in opening of new airport - - Continued from here.

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Deputy Transport Minister Gen. Chainant Charoensiri has expressed his concern that a planned opening of Suvarnabhumi international airport this July could be delayed due to extensive repairs on the passenger terminal and of roofing fabric on concourse buildings.

Leading civil engineers from the Air Force and journalists to inspect progress on the construction work of the airport in Bangkok's neighbouring province of Samut Prakan Friday, Gen. Chainant said 14

sections of roofing fabric on concourse buildings had to be replaced while another 81 sheets needed repairs and this could take a few months.

Refurbishment of the duty free shopping area, to be operated by King's Power Duty Free, is also required as many cracks were found on the floors of concourse buildings and water leaked from them.

Construction contractor ITO Joint Venture, however, reiterated that construction would be completed this June but tests on facilities could be delayed. Its staff said the airport should be opened within this year but they declined to specify the exact month.

The caretaker government had earlier set the deadline for the opening of Suvarnabhumi international airport for this July.

-- TNA 2006-04-29

We’re on schedule – ITO

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

ITO joint venture, the prime contractor for Suvarnabhumi Airport, yesterday said it was confident it could avoid any penalties for slow work, because it will complete its work on schedule.

However, ITO would not make any money on the project after being forced to speed up construction in the past two months, Tawatchai Suthiprapha, deputy senior chief executive of Italian-Thai Development Plc, ( which holds 40 per cent of the consortium, said yesterday.

“Still, we’re quite satisfied with the final result. Despite not making a profit, we’re proud to have taken part in the developing Suvarnabhumi airport,” he said.

ITO was awarded three contracts – the passenger terminal complex worth Bt15 billion, the airport pavement worth Bt21.6 billion, and the underground train tunnel worth Bt576 million.

Earlier, observers thought ITO had incurred a huge liability following the late delivery of 26 baggage explosives-detection machines, which could have held up completion of the terminal. If that had happened, ITO would have had to pay Bt 2.5 million a day for the delay.

As of Wednesday, the day before Suvarnabhumi was due to begin trial flights, ITI had completed the substantial part of its work, Tawatchai said. Over the next 21 days, a consultant for New Bangkok International Airport Co. the airports’ developer,

will run checks to see if anything needs to be changed.

The final completion date is slated for March 31. If ITO can complete all the works by then, it would not have to pay any penalties.

Source: The Nation, Bangkok 30-9-2005

[penzman]

We’re on schedule – ITO

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

ITO joint venture, the prime contractor for Suvarnabhumi Airport, yesterday said it was confident it could avoid any penalties for slow work, because it will complete its work on schedule.

However, ITO would not make any money on the project after being forced to speed up construction in the past two months, Tawatchai Suthiprapha, deputy senior chief executive of Italian-Thai Development Plc, ( which holds 40 per cent of the consortium, said yesterday.

“Still, we’re quite satisfied with the final result. Despite not making a profit, we’re proud to have taken part in the developing Suvarnabhumi airport,” he said.

ITO was awarded three contracts – the passenger terminal complex worth Bt15 billion, the airport pavement worth Bt21.6 billion, and the underground train tunnel worth Bt576 million.

Earlier, observers thought ITO had incurred a huge liability following the late delivery of 26 baggage explosives-detection machines, which could have held up completion of the terminal. If that had happened, ITO would have had to pay Bt 2.5 million a day for the delay.

As of Wednesday, the day before Suvarnabhumi was due to begin trial flights, ITI had completed the substantial part of its work, Tawatchai said. Over the next 21 days, a consultant for New Bangkok International Airport Co. the airports’ developer,

will run checks to see if anything needs to be changed.

The final completion date is slated for March 31. If ITO can complete all the works by then, it would not have to pay any penalties.

Source: The Nation, Bangkok 30-9-2005

So, maybe next time an opportunity such as this one comes up, you may want to save time , money and effort by spending on an advertising campaign instead.

[oopapasan]

Since when did people expect a good quality building. When the main objective of the controllers is to syphon money from mega projects, who cares about the end result.

They have the highest control tower in the world.This is an accident waiting to happen.

[sriracha john]

Pray, on a wing and a song?

Here is some evidence, taken from this newspaper, as to why airline chiefs in this country might be taking in the prime minister's announcement with a grain of salt.

''Airport opening moved back to 'next July at the latest' '' _ said a Bangkok Post headline on July 29, 2005, quoting the prime minister.

Three months later came this, on Oct 28: ''Opening may be put off again'' _ citing a source who quoted Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri.

''Leaks 'won't delay opening' '', on Dec 5 , citing general manager of the new airport, Somchai Sawasdeepon, responding to queries about a leaking roof.

The airport received bad news in 2006 as a fire struck the THAI catering service building. But, ''PM: Airport to open on time despite blaze'', said the headline on Jan 20.

This was reiterated five days later, with: ''PM insists airport will open by early July despite hiccups.''

But the March 29 issue gave readers and the new airport followers second thoughts: ''Airport 'unlikely to open in July'; Deputy minister finds 'very serious' flaws.'' The reporter quoted Gen Chainant on his concern about the delays in construction work and other time-consuming repairs. In the absence of Mr Thaksin, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit was in charge and went to check on the airport on May 2. The following day's headline was: ''Airport to open in August 'at latest'.''

The May 25 paper was Mr Thaksin's turn. ''Airport opening now set for September: PM,'' said the headline.

That means there are at most 122 days left for workers and officials to complete what they are doing and what they have not yet begun, too. Still, the prime minister is confident about seeing planes moving from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi by that time, after giving assurance from experts that there was nothing to be worried about.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/31May2006_news20.php

[penzman]

I can see them all aboard a fishing boat with a record breaking catch hooked on the line and everyone keeps yanking the fishing rod from each other, hoping to reel the fish in and get the honours..