Suvarnabhumi Airport Set To Open On Sept 28

[sriracha john]

Access all areas? Representatives of people with disabilities inspect Suvarnabhumi Airport in wheelchairs, following reports that the facilities are not up to standard for disabled people.

The Nation Photos In The News

UPDATE

PM sued for dereliction of duty

A group of 20 disabled people has filed a lawsuit against caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, accusing them of dereliction of duty for failing to provide facilities for the disabled at Suvarnabhumi airport. The group, led by Torpong Kulkhanchit, chief of the Asia-Pacific Office of the International Handicapped Organisation, filed the lawsuit with the Administrative Court yesterday. The group also asked that the airport's official opening be delayed from Sept 28 until their demand for such special facilities is met. Torpong said the government had never invited a representative of the disabled to help plan special facilities at the new airport. According to Torpong, he had sent a written petition asking the government to address the problem but to no avail. ''The government has shown clearly that it does not care [about the disabled] and pays more attention to decorations,'' said Torpong. Warisara Takkrathoke, a public relations officer of the Association of the Disabled of Thailand, said the country would host the 9th Asian ParaGames next year and there would be chaos when the disabled athletes arrived.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/24Aug2006_news14.php

[Simmo]

One of my Thai friends is a Lufthansa stewardess and I was chatting to her yesterday. Apparently everyone working from BKK is trying to cash in their holiday time for the end of September til November

[sriracha john]

hahahahaha... and "YOU" (applicable to no one in particular) mistakenly thought you had heard the last of the CTX scanner scandal:

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT

CTX Scanners too slow, new machines will be bought

The controversial CTX bomb detectors at Suvarnabhumi have proved to be too slow in screening luggage for transit and no-frills passengers. Some foreign airlines are also unable to complete construction and installation of facilities at the new airport in time for the official opening next month. Airport director Somchai Sawasdeepon said an additional baggage X-ray and conveyor system, similar to the one at Don Muang, would have to be purchased and installed by Sept 28.

Using the CTX system, airport staff need at least 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete a flight luggage check. This was too slow for transit and low-cost passengers. The airport first thought of moving the X-ray machines used at Don Muang international airport to Suvarnabhumi, Mr Somchai said. However, the reinstallation would take some time and might not be completed by the opening date. "So Airports of Thailand Plc has agreed to acquire a new system," he said. The CTX machines would remain the main bomb detection system. The government spent more than four billion baht acquiring the 26 CTX machines from

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Aug2006_news09.php

[cclub75]

Indeed, this statement from the airport director is really ashtonishing, regarding the CTX scandal and the airport's opening date as well.

I enjoyed very much the line : "The airport first thought of moving the X-ray machines used at Don Muang international airport to Suvarnabhumi, Mr Somchai said. However, the reinstallation would take some time and might not be completed by the opening date. "

He forgot to say that it would be impossible to stop using thoses machines in Don Muang, in order to install them at Suvarnabhumi. Because all air traffic would be stopped during the process !

Mr Somchai will continue to entertain us, over and over.

hahahahaha... and "YOU" (applicable to no one in particular) mistakenly thought you had heard the last of the CTX scanner scandal:

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT

CTX Scanners too slow, new machines will be bought

The controversial CTX bomb detectors at Suvarnabhumi have proved to be too slow in screening luggage for transit and no-frills passengers. Some foreign airlines are also unable to complete construction and installation of facilities at the new airport in time for the official opening next month. Airport director Somchai Sawasdeepon said an additional baggage X-ray and conveyor system, similar to the one at Don Muang, would have to be purchased and installed by Sept 28.

Using the CTX system, airport staff need at least 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete a flight luggage check. This was too slow for transit and low-cost passengers. The airport first thought of moving the X-ray machines used at Don Muang international airport to Suvarnabhumi, Mr Somchai said. However, the reinstallation would take some time and might not be completed by the opening date. "So Airports of Thailand Plc has agreed to acquire a new system," he said. The CTX machines would remain the main bomb detection system. The government spent more than four billion baht acquiring the 26 CTX machines from

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Aug2006_news09.php

[Tony Clifton]

Here's the "genius" behind the CTX scandal.

Still one of Thasin's "best men".

[womble]

Yeah he's dodgy.

Suriya, Newin, Thamarrak, Suddarat, Prommin, Chidchai, Pongsak, Chaturon, this lot are in it up to their necks, and these are the ones who are most vocal in supporting the PM.

There are others, but when theres mud to be flung or words of encouragement for the caretaker PM, these are often the first to open their mouths.

Notice how in recent weeks their are fewer mouths in TRT that are willing to stick up for the embattled caretaker PM, although not for any noble reasons, in typical thai style just to save their own skins.

A lot of them are in so deep though that should the PM be forced to quit they will be in big trouble.

[sriracha john]

Here's the "genius" behind the CTX scandal.

Still one of Thasin's "best men"....

and golfing buddies....

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday left his home to play golf with some Cabinet members in Chon Buri at 10:30am.

Thaksin went to play golf at Amata Spring Country Club in Chon Buri's Muang district with Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit and blah, blah, blah... <snipped>

[Plus]

A planner's take on Suvarnabhumi

[bla bla bla....]

Of course, implementation has very little to do with planners anyway, the profession being often compromised by politicians who in the end carry out their own "planning". I refer in particular to Suvarnabhumi, the title of our seminar and the name of the new airport and its associated "new town", which was unfortunately marketed pre-emptively under the name of aerotropolis, leading to speculation and land grabs. The Suvarnabhumi development in Cobra Swamp is the sum total of everything that should not have been done. But because it has been done, we have to do our planning in light of its reality. Nonetheless, nature was substantially sidelined when the project to develop the area started. Huge investments in infrastructure work became necessary, mainly as corrective measures in an area that is basically a 5,200-sq-km lake. It also meant building on top of the worst subsoil conditions, and a watery terrain that will eventually be three metres below the mean sea level. This event is projected to take place in three generations' time and the factors involved are global warming and rising seas, and the subsidence of the swamp.

As architects, planners and engineers, we can of course do "damage-control" or even override the problems referred to, at a cost.

An example of such a cost concerns the new canal under construction to mechanically drain Cobra Swamp, which was made worse by the shrinking of the flood-retention area due to the increase in land fill in the area.

For three months of the year, starting in September, flood water from the North and Northeast arrives in the Central Plain to coincide with the annual sea rise. Natural drainage then becomes impossible, and a huge body of water around Bangkok has to remain in place until the sea level subsides in December. Cobra Swamp acted as a natural water retention area on the east side of Bangkok, modulating the flow of water into the sea of its own accord.

The development around the new airport will negate much of the above natural pattern.

Superimposed on the latter will be land-based infrastructure, transportation networks, facilities, housing and logistics related to the airport, which, all told, will involve over two million people who have to work and live there under constant noise and pollution from jet emissions and the threat of air disaster.

The new canal to drain Cobra Swamp is 78 metres wide and 10.5 kilometres long and is designed to pump water at a rate of up to 100 cubic metres per second. As it crosses Sukhumvit Highway, this great body of water will be lifted up to the height of 12 metres in order to cross over the traffic and be discharged into the sea. Although the cost for the canal is Bt8.4 billion, the perpetual energy bill to lift water over the highway has not been calculated. (It is simply not in the planning terms of reference!)

Out-of-the-mill planners with a penchant for anthropology and philosophy occasionally come to my office to console themselves. We take note that in this country the last choice often becomes the first choice; that expanding Don Muang or Utapao, plus a 40-minute maglev [magnetic levitation] link, which I proposed in the Eighth National Development Plan, would have been a better investment strategy for both the airport and urban decentralisation. At this point, we might fret a little, thinking of the Shanghai Airport maglev, which will soon be extended to Hangzhou.

We might then speculate on the solution to the problem of an aerotropolis three metres below the sea. The solution presupposes a level of hydraulic and societal discipline that suited the Dutch over the centuries, but not the Thai psyche, which is anti-discipline and long-term planning. We would finally ask ourselves where our next re-incarnation will take us at three metres below the sea, three generations from now.

Prof Sumet Jumsai is a well-known international architect.

This is an excerpt from his closing speech at the recent International Symposium on Suvarnabhumi organised by a group of Thai universities led by Silpakorn University.

Sumet Jumsai

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/28/opi...on_30012103.php

[stumonster]

The new canal to drain Cobra Swamp is 78 metres wide and 10.5 kilometres long and is designed to pump water at a rate of up to 100 cubic metres per second. As it crosses Sukhumvit Highway, this great body of water will be lifted up to the height of 12 metres in order to cross over the traffic and be discharged into the sea. Although the cost for the canal is Bt8.4 billion, the perpetual energy bill to lift water over the highway has not been calculated. (It is simply not in the planning terms of reference!)

and when the pumps , like the ctx scanners are found not to have enough throughput to sustain the drainage ? --- looks like the mass transit system from the new airport might be a nuclear submarine.

[cclub75]

By the way... Did you read Nation last week end ?

They wrote a piece about Suvarnabbhumi.

They confirmed something that i've heard before : passengers will have to take a shuttle bus, from the terminal, in order to go to the taxis station, 6 km away !

And it will be forbidden for taxis drivers who are droping passengers to wait at the terminal...

If it's really true (everything can change without notice in Thailand)... i mean it must the only airport in the world with such a stupid system. No ?

The guy who bought the "limousines" licence gave his conditions : "put the taxis meters away from my terminal"...

[womble]

You would think that they would at least have a mono rail or train of some discription to and from the taxi stand.

Whats the bet that you can take an airport car from the airport terminal itself?

I wonder who it is that will hold the concession for that?

[zink]

By the way... Did you read Nation last week end ?

They wrote a piece about Suvarnabbhumi.

They confirmed something that i've heard before : passengers will have to take a shuttle bus, from the terminal, in order to go to the taxis station, 6 km away !

And it will be forbidden for taxis drivers who are droping passengers to wait at the terminal...

If it's really true (everything can change without notice in Thailand)... i mean it must the only airport in the world with such a stupid system. No ?

The guy who bought the "limousines" licence gave his conditions : "put the taxis meters away from my terminal"...

There is a thread about it in general topics section: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=78758

"Limousines" will be operated by AoT which is a state owned company. I'm sure that politicians in charge receive a decent compensations for giving AoT monopoly in this area...

I'm not aware of any major airport in the world where you aren't able to get a taxi from the terminal.

[Tony Clifton]

By limousine, do they mean the small white Toyotas, same as all other taxis except for their colour? I saw one of those last week, "limousine" painted on it's side.

What's the difference between one of those and a taxi?

[sriracha john]

Switching airports goes beyond logistics

September 28 is an important date for Thailand in that the new Suvarnabhumi airport will be officially opened _ and it's only four weeks away. However, from a supply chain and logistics point of view, activities have been going on already for a considerable time. A recent article in the Bangkok Post by Travel Monitor columnist Imtiaz Muqbil highlighted that as the opening date nears, Thai Airways International and others were finalising preparations for one of the largest logistical operations in global aviation history, moving millions of tonnes of aircraft and equipment from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi within roughly 12 hours. Imitiaz noted that five business units, including catering, cargo and operations, must be relocated. At stake are thousands of tools, spare parts, engines, cargo containers, pallets, loading/unloading equipment, kitchenware, cranes, forklifts, cabin items, IT hardware, aircraft-moving vehicles, and more.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/30Aug2006_biz37.php

[Old Man River]

By limousine, do they mean the small white Toyotas, same as all other taxis except for their colour? I saw one of those last week, "limousine" painted on it's side.

What's the difference between one of those and a taxi?

There is no difference other than you can charge more by calling it a limousine. While it is a ripoff, the AOT knows that there is no real competition and after 6 months or so, people will stop complaining.

While far from condoning it, whatever it ends up costing to Bangkok CBD, it will still be a bargain compared to taxi costs from airports in other countries.

[Plus]

They use Toyota Camry for "limousines", one size larger than Corrolla Altis or equivalent they use for taxis.

Americans don't think of Camry as a limousine, but they don't set the rules in Thailand. If it's called a limousine here, then so be it.

[moonoi]

They use Toyota Camry for "limousines", one size larger than Corrolla Altis or equivalent they use for taxis.

Americans don't think of Camry as a limousine, but they don't set the rules in Thailand. If it's called a limousine here, then so be it.

While on the other side of the coin in continental Europe its not uncommon for C and E Class mercs to be meter taxis

[sriracha john]

Thai AirAsia to move to new Bangkok airport on Sept 25

Budget carrier Thai AirAsia said Wednesday all of its flights will move to Bangkok's new international airport on September 25, three days ahead of the airport's official opening.

Thai AirAsia, a joint venture between Thai telecom giant Shin Corp and Malaysia's AirAsia, said its 70 daily flights will shift from the existing Don Muang airport to the new airport on September 25.

The last 10 flights, both domestic and international, on September 24 will also fly to the new airport, the airline said.

"Even though our facilities there, including the office at the new airport, is not yet complete, we are confident that everything will be ready in time," airline chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld told AFP.

hurry up boys.. it's barely 3 weeks from now...

"The early move is trying to avoid traffic congestion at the new airport the night before the opening date."

The government has said all flights must move to the new airport on September 28, when the existing Don Muang will close to commercial traffic.

"The airline has already informed passengers about the move. Ticket prices would not be raised because our cost are the same after the airport authorities agreed to delay the increase in landing fee at the new airport," Tassapon said.

In a bid to woo airlines to the new airport, aviation authorities agreed to suspend the planned fee hike for six months to April 2007.

Agence France-Presse

[sriracha john]

Thai travel group warns new airport not ready for Sept 28 opening

BANGKOK - The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) warned that the planned September 28 opening date for the new Bangkok international airport -- Suvarnabhumi -- is too early and risks causing a host of operational problems.

'It seems like if the new airport opens on September 28, too many problems will arise. That would affect airlines' confidence about adding more flights to Thailand later,' ATTA president Apichart Sankary told Agence France-Presse.

He said the nearby Don Muang facility, currently serving an above-capacity 38.5 million passengers a year, should continue to take the strain until the new airport is ready.

'Don Muang can still handle the arrivals. We should wait until Suvarnabhumi is totally ready, then we could open it,' Apichart said.

Suvarnabhumi has been in the works for four decades, the airport has been hit by a series of construction problems and graft allegations.

After repeatedly revising the completion date, officials are adamant that it should open before the start of the main tourist season in October.

But even if Suvarnabhumi, which will start international test flights on Friday, opens next month, Thailand's US$12 billion tourism industry is not expected to see any benefits this year.

'It is impossible for the new airport to boost tourism in the last three months of the year,' Apichart said.

'If the new airport were 100 percent ready, it would help support the drive for more tourism next year, when arrivals are expected at some 14 million, up from 13 million this year.'

- Forbes

[RBWilson]

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!

The King Power monopoly obviously is not strapped for funds (i.e. the palatial complex they are building on Soi Rangnam/Si Ayuttaya). I had read in the BKK Post several months ago that Central and Emporiium had applied for a piece of the airport duty free business. Wonder what happened to that?

[sriracha john]

I had read in the BKK Post several months ago that Central and Emporiium had applied for a piece of the airport duty free business. Wonder what happened to that?

I believe the answer is available by backtracking to Post #30 of this thread... I think the deal with King Power is an exclusive one:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=848760

*edit*

sorry, that's from a different thread and covers the non-duty free space at the airport that King Power has exclusivity over...

[sriracha john]

Immigration Bureau prepared for opening of new airport

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (TNA) - The Immigration Bureau is ready for Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s commercial opening on September 28.

Immigration Bureau Chief Pol.Lt. Gen. Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said officers have been trained and assigned to 124 checkpoints in the arrival section of the passenger terminal and 72 in the departure section.

All immigration officers have undergone English language training sessions.

Data has shown that it should take the average passenger 20 seconds to pass immigration, although in some cases it may take a bit longer if there are questions.

Gen. Suwat said airlines have been requested to submit passenger data ahead of an aircraft’s arrival in order to quicken immigration procedures, in particular for large tour groups. This kind of arrangement is currently in use in many other countries.

- MCOT

===============================================================

Airport authority won’t hike rates until 2007

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (TNA) - As an incentive to promote the use of Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the Airports of Thailand Pcl. (AOT) will not introduce new, higher rates on aircraft and passenger service charges until next year.

AOT had initially planned to introduce new rates upon Suvarnabhumi’s official opening on 28 September.

Airport tax for international and domestic flights will remain for the time being at 500 and 50 baht a person respectively. They will be increased to 700 and 100 baht in February 2007.

The deadline for a 15 per cent increase in commercial airlines’ landing and parking fees has also been pushed back from later this month to April 2007.

AOT President Chotisak Asapaviriya is confident that the decision will not significantly hurt the company’s earnings. In compensation, a greater number of passengers and flight traffic are expected to pass through the new airport, which should help bolster revenues.

In the third quarter of 2006, AOT reported operating revenues of 3.95 billion baht and a net profit of over two billion baht, representing a 171 per cent increase from the same period in 2005. The sharp rise was due to a significant increase in passenger numbers and flight traffic.

Nevertheless, operational expenses rose by nearly 260 million baht in the three month period ending June 30, due to the hiring of additional employees and marketing expenses incurred in preparation for Suvarnabhumi’s opening.

The operational expenses were offset by exchange rate earnings as the baht tested six-year high against the dollar, and by a reduced corporate tax burden.

On the Stock Exchange of Thailand, AOT shares closed Friday traded at 57 baht per share, up one baht for the day as investors remain confident that Suvarnabhumi will open on time. Four international test flights ended successfully Friday, improving investor sentiment.

- MCOT

[jdinasia]

In the third quarter of 2006, AOT reported operating revenues of 3.95 billion baht and a net profit of over two billion baht, representing a 171 per cent increase from the same period in 2005. The sharp rise was due to a significant increase in passenger numbers and flight traffic.

Why do numbers like that make me think Enron?

[sriracha john]

Air traffic system in Suvarnabhumi Airport in place

BANGKOK, Sept 4 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Aviation has expressed confidence that the air traffic control system will operate smoothly and efficiently when Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport is officially opened for commercial purposes on September 28.

Chaisak Angsuwan, the department's Director-General, assured on Sunday that the system would not develop any problems since the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI), which directly supervise the system, had already moved the Approach Control and the Internal Control to the new airport and now have their services open around the clock.

He said the Suvarnabhumi Airport, when officially opened, would help enhance potential for the Thai aviation industry since it could accommodate 76-80 flights per hour, compared with around 53 flights per hour at Don Muang International Airport.

More importantly, the new airport would also help save energy and time since there would be no traffic congestions at the airport, he noted.

Mr. Chaisak said Thai people should be proud of the Suvarnabhumi Airport since all parties concerned had tried their best to make the airport become a perfect one.

He added that the new airport's safety meets the international standard since it had passed tests required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

- MCOT

[sriracha john]

Construction of the Airport Rail Link is now 40% completed

The Airport Rail Link being built to facilitate travel between Suvarnabhumi airport and Bangkok city is now 40% completed and services should begin in early 2008.

Project manager Manas Cheunkerdlarp said the State Railway of Thailand is negotiating with representatives of Decha and Klong Tan to hand part of their land expropriated for the construction.

The project has begun since February 11, 2005 and was scheduled for completion on November 5, 2007. The rail services can bring 500,000 passengers a day to Suvarnabhumi airport and the construction site also can accommodate 2,500 cars and buses.

- ThaiNews

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

See y'all at the rail link opening in 2010...

[kat]

I'm really nervous because I will be flying out of this airport a couple of days after the grand opening. It was either this, or flying out of Manila. Now, Manila is looking like a piece of cake

Anyone have an idea what taxi fare will be like to the new airport from the lad phrao area?

[sriracha john]

No fanfare for Don Muang close

BANGKOK, Sept 4 (TNA) - There will be no major ceremonies for Don Muang International Airport when it closes on September 27 after more than eight decades of service.

Instead, officials will host a religious ceremony on the last day in honour of Field Marshall Prince Chakrabpongse Bhuvanath of Phitsanulok, the founding father of aviation in Thailand.

On September 27, many airport employees will be involved with moving efforts, according to Airports of Thailand PcL. (AOT) President Chotisak Asapaviriya, all essential equipment and gear is expected to be at the new facility by September 28 when Suvarnabhumi takes over as Bangkok’s international airport.

AOT is closely coordinating the transport of equipment from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi with all partner agencies, including the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, the Department of Aviation and national carrier Thai Airways International.

For airlines that can not complete the move to Suvarnabhumi in time for the September 28 opening, the AOT will allow companies to use storage facilities at Don Muang rent free for three months.

- MCOT

[Losangels]

In the third quarter of 2006, AOT reported operating revenues of 3.95 billion baht and a net profit of over two billion baht, representing a 171 per cent increase from the same period in 2005. The sharp rise was due to a significant increase in passenger numbers and flight traffic.

Why do numbers like that make me think Enron?

Very good point made I suspect its called "creative accounting" and the probability of two sets of books. Thailand does not yet have western standards of generally acceptable rule of Accounting.

[Templer]

I have just booked tickets for the wife,

The travel agent made a point of telling me,

on the return leg of the journey (October 8th)

she will fly from the old airport.

She is flying with Thai airways

May be right or wrong who knows.

[Cheeky Farang]

I have just booked tickets for the wife,

The travel agent made a point of telling me,

on the return leg of the journey (October 8th)

she will fly from the old airport.

She is flying with Thai airways

May be right or wrong who knows.

She is flying from where on her return ? and in what country is the travel agent ?

CF