Suvarnabhumi Airport Set To Open On Sept 28

[Maejo Man]

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

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

Fortunately it's not up to the AOT, it's in the hands of the international certification body, and when they give it the certification, it will be allowed to open, and not before. They annonunce all new certifications on their web site as soon as they are granted.

The Decent train service! wasn't finished last time I looked out of the window

[parhorne]

do the thais realise they have to have international approval before any planes can land ?

no matter how much money goes under the table to who-evers brother if the CAA ? does,nt think the airport is ready then it is,nt ready , end of story, no matter what toxic wants.

[1warren1]

For those of you worried about the transport or increased travelling time to the new airport.

I will say that recently I had the pleasure of having to travel along the new roadway that has been built to access the new airport.

Out of all the roads in bangkok, it has the most lanes, easiest entrance and exit points and the lack of pot holes or rises and dips in the road is something I have never before seen in Thailand.

Also the signage, lighting and lack of bends and curves made for an extremely comfortable and pleasant journey.

The journey that i expected to take around 45 minutes, took only 25 minutes and the return trip the next day in heavier traffic was equally as speedy.

[Maejo Man]

Highlights from the ICAO website, and no mention of any Thai airport being certified as claimed by the government....Porkies all round

JUNE 2006

Annual Report of the ICAO Council - 2005. Doc 9862 (excerpts only) (Added: 7 June 2006)

Thirteenth Meeting on the improvement of air traffic services over the South Atlantic (SAT/13), Canary Island, Spain, 24 – 27 April 2006 (Added: 6 June 2006)

First Meeting of the SAT FANS 1/A Interoperability Team (SAT FIT/1), Canary Island, Spain, 20 – 22 April 2006 (Added: 6 June 2006)

Report of the Thirteenth Meeting of the South-East Asia ATS Co-ordination Group (SEACG/13), Bangkok, Thailand, 16 – 19 May 2006 (Added: 5 June 2006)

Current Vacancies, multilingual (Updated: 2 June 2006)

Tentative Schedule – 2006 ICAO NACC Office – Meetings, Seminars, Courses and Workshops (Updated: 1 June 2006)

Safety Management Manual (SMM) (Doc 9859) (Added: 1 June 2006)

Report of the Sixth Meeting of the Air Traffic Flow Management Task Force (ATFM/TF/6), Bangkok, Thailand, 9 – 11 May 2006 (Added: 1 June 2006)

[warriors]

Lucky I arrive back on the 15th August

[talktomarty]

What a load of.....All trials (including baggage) will conclude in October. No way it will be ready for commercial use in September. Certification will be granted late October if and when all trials are approved. Mayby just maybe some maintanance aircraft will be permitted to land and that will constitute "commercial use".

As I have stated before, Kings birthday in December.

[veteran]

TIT:JUST ANOTHER date

[BigSnake]

About time. Take another 20 years to get it up tto International standards.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Ahhhh.... Another airport opening date?

pass the sugar please...

and maybe it will and there again maybe it won`t...nice coffee

[basjke]

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.

And even the thai rum is cheaper in 7/11 then in "duty free"

[baboon]

I reckon there will be a few punch ups with taxis when they try to take passengers to the wrong airport,thinking they are doing the right thing.There will always be someone who dont know or forget there are now 2 airports.Plenty of visitors speak no Thai.

[britmaveric]

Hmmm 28 Sept what year??? There is no way, but I suppose the truth is a bit inconvenient. To me it makes more sense open it in low season than high - can work the kinks out so to speak. Anyways got to love the Thai Govt - give me a daily laff with the airport news.

[Rinrada]

Didnt Mr T already declare Su Wan A open last year when he flew in on his Wellington bomber...think...9 mins past 9-00am on sept 9th.....or therabouts......so its offically open......its just not in use yet (dont talk about cracks in the runway...eh..... WOT Cracks)

My bet would be for Dec....

[ratcatcher]

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

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

Fortunately it's not up to the AOT, it's in the hands of the international certification body, and when they give it the certification, it will be allowed to open, and not before. They annonunce all new certifications on their web site as soon as they are granted.

The Decent train service! wasn't finished last time I looked out of the window

'happyinthailand', are you new to L.O.S. or just a tad naiive? We all wish Thailand well but unfortunately the average smiling Thai that we so "love" is not invoved in this scheme regarding the "opening" of the Suwanaphum airport. If the AOT and Toxin's mob of cronies had their way, the airport would have opened last year while the cement was still drying, cracks or no cracks.

As Maejo Man said, fortunately for the travelling public, there is an international body to oversee the rigid rules before any new airport is certified and deemed operational for international flights. Thus possibly saving lives. Nobody wants an air crash due to faulty ground based equipment or facilities.

Instead of the government saying "It will open when it is absolutely ready and as near perfect as we Thais can get it", that would have been a lot more credible and face saving than having "soft openings" , medium openings" and "desperation hard openings".

All these guys do is provide yet more grist for the humor mill. Nobody takes 'em seriously anymore.

The attached photo shows Thailand's illustrious Caretaker in deep discussion with members of the aorport development board. (He's probably saying "If it ain't open on time, you guys are walking")

As for train service, maybe a model train.

BTW cynicism has nothing to do with it, it's called reality.

Edited June 8, 2006 by ratcatcher

[bkk_mike]

They said "commercial purposes". Note the lack of the word International...

They did not say that all airlines would move to the new airport on that date.

So - what's the betting Thai is being asked to move some of it's domestic flights there from September 28th (so that the TV cameras can show it's open just before the election), and the other airlines (and Thai's international flights) will move there when the ICAO declares the airport open...

It might not even be the domestic flights - it could be that they only start moving cargo flights from that date (the press release doesn't mention passengers). That would be commercial use, and there's no requirement that the curiously procured baggage screening systems are working for that.

Edited June 8, 2006 by bkk_mike

[NW_Allen]

So... I've heard a few pronounciations of the new airport's name. I'm not sure I have it right, is it:

"SOO-wan-na-phoom" ?

Is there anyone who can provide tips on this? Doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough for the taxi drive to comprehend.

[britmaveric]

So... I've heard a few pronounciations of the new airport's name. I'm not sure I have it right, is it:

"SOO-wan-na-phoom" ?

Is there anyone who can provide tips on this? Doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough for the taxi drive to comprehend.

Just say "NEW AIRPORT"

[yeikloen]

Wanted to know more about the airport but guess what? The account has been suspended?

www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/

Did I get the correct website?

/

So... I've heard a few pronounciations of the new airport's name. I'm not sure I have it right, is it:

"SOO-wan-na-phoom" ?

Is there anyone who can provide tips on this? Doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough for the taxi drive to comprehend.

Just say "NEW AIRPORT"

[britmaveric]

Hmmm didnt pay their bill apparently!

[george]

Ron at 2bangkok.com runs this excellent site about the new airport:

http://bangkokairport.info/

[John K]

Very simply, if a politician said that would be the date, then don’t count on it. If an engineer said that would be the date then there is a good chance of it. Simply engineers know how fast cements sets. Engineers also know no matter how much a politician jumps, screams, and shouts about a sooner open date, the cement wont care.

[johng]

"SOO-wan-na-phoom" ?

Yep thats about right.

[astral]

So - what's the betting Thai is being asked to move some of it's domestic flights there from September 28th (so that the TV cameras can show it's open just before the election), and the other airlines (and Thai's international flights) will move there when the ICAO declares the airport open...

That would be a real recipe for disaster.

It has to be all or nothing!!

Remember KL, when MAS domestic stayed at the old airport for a few months.

The two airports are about 40km apart.

Rather like Heathrow and a Gatwick in London.

[GezT]

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

And Elvis is going to ride in on Shergar lead by Lord Lucan for the opening ceremony!

[Maejo Man]

They said "commercial purposes". Note the lack of the word International...

They did not say that all airlines would move to the new airport on that date.

So - what's the betting Thai is being asked to move some of it's domestic flights there from September 28th (so that the TV cameras can show it's open just before the election), and the other airlines (and Thai's international flights) will move there when the ICAO declares the airport open...

.

I think that you are very close to the truth there BM and as Astral says, a reciept for disaster. Imaging the international passengers being told...."sorry but you have to take your domestic flight three hours earlier than you booked....You will be landing at the new airport, but have to take a shuttle bus/tuk-tuk to Don Muang to catch your international flight"

We all realise that it's a massive job switching staff and facilities from one airport to another, as other airports have found out to their cost.

ONE move when all the systems are operational, would be the sensible approach, but we have the "face saving factor" to consider

[cobra]

Regardless, we know it will eventually open,

and when it does it's going to change the whole dynamic of getting in and out of LOS,

Whether your bound for Bkk, Patters or other, it's going to be interesting if this will be a blessing or bane,

[jaiyen]

about time

Thats a joke !! September seems to be the chosen month again. Remember last September ? Wasnt it almost exactly the same date ? I think it was the 29th. Nothing more than another embarrassing ego trip for Toxin. Presume it will be the same this time.

I remember last year that an expert who had been involved with the setting up of new airports for over 30 years said that the FAA woould have to give their approval before any airport could operate commercially and that would take about 6 months to test and approve all systems, operations, air traffic control, passenger movement, security etc. I notice in the goverment announcement that neither the FAA or any other organisation was mentioned, only Thai Airways.

Oh well, lets sit back and wait for the latest fiasco to proceed !

I wonder if they have filled the huge cracks in the main hall with silicone sealant as promised ! Would have used a lot of tubes !! Oh ! And what about the runway ?? Maybe that was filled with tiling grout !!!

[ilyushin]

Politics

[lingling]

I remember last year that an expert who had been involved with the setting up of new airports for over 30 years said that the FAA woould have to give their approval before any airport could operate commercially and that would take about 6 months to test and approve all systems, operations, air traffic control, passenger movement, security etc. I notice in the goverment announcement that neither the FAA or any other organisation was mentioned, only Thai Airways.

FAA has nothing to do with it - thailand is as far as I know not part of the united states (although people from that country tend to blur up the difference between "the world" and "the united states of america".

[rcav8r]

FAA has nothing to do with it

That's the first factual statement I've read so far .....