Suvarnabhumi Airport Set To Open On Sept 28

[SMS]

Suvarnabhumi Airport set to open on Sept 28

THAI Airways top management confirms date

BANGKOK, June 8 (TNA) - Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport is now set to open for commercial purposes on September 28, the Transport Ministry announced here on Wednesday.

The opening date of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport was set recently by the government commmittee on management and development of the new airport, Deputies Transport Minister Gen.Chainant Charoensiri and Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai told a press conference after a meeting here Wednesday with the board of directors of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), the national flag carrier.

A new committee comprising of representatives of all parties concerned, including Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd. (AOT), the Customs Department, the Immigration Bureau, THAI and other international airlines, would also be set up to oversee the relocation of Bangkok's internatonal airport from the Don Muang Airport to the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the two ministers said.

The committee set-up will be complete by June 17 when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will chair a meeting of all the parties concerned to review all projects and plans involving the Suvarnabhumi Airport, including the remaining construction and decoration works, to ensure that the new airport will be opened as scheduled, according to the ministers.

Gen. Chainant oversees AOT, while Mr. Phumtham supervises THAI.

"Construction and decoration works at the Suvarnabhumi Airport have been nearly complete at the moment. Only some minor works are to be settled over the next four months; so, I can say we're now ready for the opening of the new airport," said Gen. Chainant.

THAI will begin moving its offices from the Don Muang Airport in early September and will completely move to the new airport the night before its opening on September 28, according to the company's top management.

--TNA 2006-06-08

[Maejo Man]

Yeah and pigs might fly too It's just a race against time now to get it completed before the election in October for obvious reasons. I'll be waiting for a new opening date to be announced soon

[VanZam]

Airport might be finished, I wonder when the skytrain is due to be finished out that way... taxis are gona love this.

[thymode91]

Sounds GOOD isn't it? at last...

[TokyoT]

Don’t count your chickens.

I may be wrong, but I actually dread the new airport opening. Right now I have little to no trouble getting to/from the airport. But I think the traffic nightmares that await the opening of the new airport will change all of this, and add significantly to my travel time. I travel quite a lot, and one of the few benefits of moving to Bangkok from Tokyo was the time involved in the commute to/from the airport. Now I fear that benefit will soon be gone.

[Mr Ling Noi]

I fly out on that date, It would usually worry me that it will cause confusion but with the way this opening date fiasco is going I have nothing to worry about as I am sure it will be some time AFTER this date before they actually open.

[jdinasia]

My money is still on early Dec

[dantilley]

There's no year specified with that opening date - I can only assume they mean 28 Sept 2007....

[thaigene2]

I asked one of the lovely King Power girls whether they had secured a monopoly again at the new airport..the answer of course was 'yes.'

'Own-ley King Pow-wer, na kha!'

I wonder how much that cost and how many special favours were granted? All I know is that the more it cost him, the more I will have to pay for my duty free..it's kind of like taking the money out of my pocket and putting it into the people who granted the monopoly isn't it?

Oh but wait, -- I never buy any duty free there anyway..at least not since they tried to charge me 100 baht for a 5 baht package of gum!

[sabrina_bkk]

There's no year specified with that opening date - I can only assume they mean 28 Sept 2007....

I think you are right.. it may be 28 Sept 2008.. who knows..

[sriracha john]

Ahhhh.... Another airport opening date?

pass the sugar please...

[bkkjosh]

My money is still on early Dec

So is mine...

[Roobar]

There's no year specified with that opening date - I can only assume they mean 28 Sept 2007....

come on, it's gonna be a few days earlier than that......

[Monkey Boy]

No disrespect to the Buddhist community but...

As with all things in the LOS, if the local monks haven't chosen this day (i.e. a good / lucky day) and given their blessings then this baby will not be opening.

[bensark]

about time

[rcav8r]

Don’t count your chickens.

I may be wrong, but I actually dread the new airport opening. Right now I have little to no trouble getting to/from the airport. But I think the traffic nightmares that await the opening of the new airport will change all of this, and add significantly to my travel time. I travel quite a lot, and one of the few benefits of moving to Bangkok from Tokyo was the time involved in the commute to/from the airport. Now I fear that benefit will soon be gone.

Know what you mean - Narita and all that ! I think you're right about taxis - and getting to and from Suv. MalcolmL

[astral]

Sept 28th. That is my Dad's birthday.

A lead time of 3 months sounds about right, as the airlines need time to plan

and migrate their services over.

It also gives them a month to sort out bugs before the High Season starts in November.

[bangkapiboy]

It mentions THAI will begin moving in early Sept. It doesn't mention any other airlines.

[rcav8r]

It also gives them a month to sort out bugs before the High Season starts in November.

OMG ! The start of the high season ! I've a lot of people coming coming around that date. Better tell them to re-schedule as it will be chaos if it really does happen - as it can be forced to happen - if someone square really wants to force the issue - even though it's not up and running properly. MalcolmL

[slackula]

Thailand: Regional hub of airport opening dates.

[dotcom]

Don't gripe about the duty free. A 50 ml bottle of water in Paris is 3 euros 40 - sells here for 7 baht at 7-11.

[SMS]

Isint the new ellections in october?

[sriracha john]

Don’t count your chickens.

I may be wrong, but I actually dread the new airport opening. Right now I have little to no trouble getting to/from the airport. But I think the traffic nightmares that await the opening of the new airport will change all of this, and add significantly to my travel time. I travel quite a lot, and one of the few benefits of moving to Bangkok from Tokyo was the time involved in the commute to/from the airport. Now I fear that benefit will soon be gone.

You should be fine.... They're almost done with the airport elevated rail link.. and are just now putting the finishing touches on it as we speak:

Sept 28th. That is my Dad's birthday.

I think the biggest contributor to that date selection is that PM flew out on the soft opening on Sept. 29.... so they can proudly proclaim "From Soft Opening To Hard Opening In Under A Year"....

btw, Happy B-D to your Dad.... mine's the 29th.... so easy to remember the PM abusing that auspicious date.

[ged]

about time

will anyone miss the old airport? those were the days! do you remember when............................................................................

........?

[dantilley]

about time

will anyone miss the old airport? those were the days! do you remember when............................................................................

........?

Well the old airport is going to remain open to service low cost domestic flights.

[ovenman]

Well the old airport is going to remain open to service low cost domestic flights.

I am afraid the winds of change have blown yet again (link) and the low-cost carriers will be making the move after all. But that could have changed by the time this is posted!

[ged]

about time

will anyone miss the old airport? those were the days! do you remember when............................................................................

........?

Well the old airport is going to remain open to service low cost domestic flights.

great news! i wonder how many tourists will be taken by taxi to the old airport "by mistake"

[Losangels]

Don't these people at the various minitries realize that the new airport must first pass the international regulating body safety test before it is allowed to operate?

Or are these people so confident that it will pass without a hitch the first time?

I don't think so.

[happyinthailand]

What a cynical lot you all are!! I for one am happy that the AOT has finally given a date. At least there will be a decent train service and it seems to me that based on the number of lanes available for cars in any one direction (4 on the motorway, 4 on Sukhumvit and 3 on the expressway), the traffic situation should be ok. Certainly the road situation should be better than Heathrow and the train alot cheaper!

Am I the only person who is gratified that Thailand is moving forward!??

[ilyushin]

My money is still on early Dec

So is mine...

Me three!