Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport extension plan 'suspended by junta'

[Ricardo]

So far there was no any plans to develop don muang. In fact, there were long debates whether it should be a passenger airport at all, only for cargo, special and emergency flights or, the most, charter.

Airorce pushed their interests through, got the government to reopen it.

The fact is, now this port is very close to the sprawling city, noice and air polution has a big impact on locals. Near dubling it's capacity from 18 to 30mln will recreate problems, for which don muan was closed down 8 years ago.

Perhaps one should note that most of the LCCs now using DMK operate smaller relatively-cleaner/quieter more-modern aircraft, than the larger/older/noisier wide-bodied jets using Swampy, so this isn't yet a return to Don Muang's former glory-days.

Also local residents will surely have been aware of Don Muang, when they chose to move into the area, indeed the economic buzz generated by the airport may well have been the reason they moved-in in the first place ? Perhaps proximity to an international-airport like DMK can sometimes help property-values ?

And DMK was always supposed to continue with military-flights, charters & freight-operations, so it never would have shut down totally ?

Edited July 4, 2014 by Ricardo

[Stradavarius37]

Everything planned under the previous government should be suspended and evaluated, then reconsidered and changed to support transparency. Another win for General Prayuth!

[Ricardo]

Swampy is a huge Airport as it is. There is no point extending until they can run with what they already have, staffing levels and time management is one area that could be improved no end.

IIRC there was major disruption with diversions, when they needed to repair/resurface Swamp's two runways a couple of years back.

So even if the terminal-facilities did have spare-capacity, which Thai ingenuity might well find despite the airport having 51-million PAX compared to its planned capacity of 45-Million PAX, the completion of the (part-built years ago) third-runway would still seem sensible if not urgent ?

[thaibeachlovers]

A month ago prayuth says there would be redevelopment of bangkok airports. Now his commision suspends suvanna indefinitety. That's for the benefit don muang, which is owneed by airforce.

Shurly suwanna needs urgent development, as it's lacking capability. Don muang was just redone after the floods and not many passengers use it

Far better to build a high speed rail link between SB and DM than expand SB.

Now that the freight has been moved to SB they have a lot of area to build a new terminal.

[steveG]

A month ago prayuth says there would be redevelopment of bangkok airports. Now his commision suspends suvanna indefinitety. That's for the benefit don muang, which is owneed by airforce.

Shurly suwanna needs urgent development, as it's lacking capability. Don muang was just redone after the floods and not many passengers use it

Far better to build a high speed rail link between SB and DM than expand SB.

Now that the freight has been moved to SB they have a lot of area to build a new terminal.

Absolutely agree.

Some form of high speed link between the 2 airports is the right solution for now before an increase in capacity at Swampy is undertaken. Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc). Good also if transfer bags do not need to be reclaimed and checked in again. I bet there are a lot of long haul passengers arriving which then transfer to LCC for the final leg of their travel.

[whybother]

Absolutely agree.

Some form of high speed link between the 2 airports is the right solution for now before an increase in capacity at Swampy is undertaken. Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc). Good also if transfer bags do not need to be reclaimed and checked in again. I bet there are a lot of long haul passengers arriving which then transfer to LCC for the final leg of their travel.

"Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc)."

That's never going to happen. It would need to be express from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang, and the current express the city to the airport only gets a handful of passengers. You would also need a direct link from the airport side to each of the train stations.

[steveG]

Absolutely agree.

Some form of high speed link between the 2 airports is the right solution for now before an increase in capacity at Swampy is undertaken. Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc). Good also if transfer bags do not need to be reclaimed and checked in again. I bet there are a lot of long haul passengers arriving which then transfer to LCC for the final leg of their travel.

"Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc)."

That's never going to happen. It would need to be express from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang, and the current express the city to the airport only gets a handful of passengers. You would also need a direct link from the airport side to each of the train stations.

If there are only a handful of passengers making the transfer than I agree. My assumption was that there would be a lot of LH to LCC through BKK.

[whybother]

"Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc)."

That's never going to happen. It would need to be express from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang, and the current express the city to the airport only gets a handful of passengers. You would also need a direct link from the airport side to each of the train stations.

If there are only a handful of passengers making the transfer than I agree. My assumption was that there would be a lot of LH to LCC through BKK.

There would probably be a lot more on the current express if they ran a bit more often. But any express between the two airports would stop at Makkasan as a minimum and maybe one or two other locations. There wouldn't be enough to warrant a direct express and the additional work of keeping transfer passengers separate from airport to city passengers.

[whybother]

Interesting to note that that so reliable media medium Khaosod has used an archived image the depicts the yellow shirts occupation of the airport

I wonder why they should do that, surely not an attempt to distort the truth is it?

Oh and another question who owns the greater majority of the land surrounding Suvarnabhumi Airport ?

Now there regarding the land ownership question being clarified we may well be able to understand why the proposed expansion is being halted.

You cannot distort the truth that yellow shirt terrorists invaded the international airport and shut it down. This was an act of terrorism which effected travellers across the world and should be seen for what it was. An act of terrorism.

A lot of people are pretty loose with their definition of terrorism these days. If I yelled "boo" at you, you'd probably call me a terrorist.

[Gus5]

Interesting to note that that so reliable media medium Khaosod has used an archived image the depicts the yellow shirts occupation of the airport

I wonder why they should do that, surely not an attempt to distort the truth is it?

Oh and another question who owns the greater majority of the land surrounding Suvarnabhumi Airport ?

Now there regarding the land ownership question being clarified we may well be able to understand why the proposed expansion is being halted.

My thoughts exactly ... what the hell does the occupation of the airport six years ago have to do with current expansion plans...?!

Absolutely Nothing.

It's just how Khaosod operates.

[thaibeachlovers]

"Ideally this link would allow passengers on international transfer to do so without first entering the country at one airport and then departing at the other (avoiding the need to go through immigration and customs etc).

"

That's never going to happen. It would need to be express from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang, and the current express the city to the airport only gets a handful of passengers. You would also need a direct link from the airport side to each of the train stations.

If there are only a handful of passengers making the transfer than I agree. My assumption was that there would be a lot of LH to LCC through BKK.

There would probably be a lot more on the current express if they ran a bit more often. But any express between the two airports would stop at Makkasan as a minimum and maybe one or two other locations. There wouldn't be enough to warrant a direct express and the additional work of keeping transfer passengers separate from airport to city passengers.

Hmmmmm. The last quote box has disappeared!

My reply- There is no incentive to use the "express" option as the whole trip currently only takes 1/2 hour on the "slow" train. From DM to SB would be a whole different ball game. However, slow or fast, they need a rail link between airports.

Edited July 5, 2014 by thaibeachlovers

[Benmart]

Some of the usual suspects focus on trivia. So what if it's archival image...those events set in place the problems facing Thailand today and not one of those responsible has been held accountable. And who cares who owns the land. The airport has to expand if it is to remain competitive. Some of you see shadows instead of opportunities.

Well for starters you would be the first one to comment on the appropriateness of a photo if the article was about Jatuporn furthering the the cause of the grass roots red shirt movement. See below. One is appropriate for the OP and one is not. If the non appropriate one was used would you suggest the newspaper that printed it had an agenda?

Yawn

I see your cutting intellect at work again with your in depth analysis on my post.

It is funny that when ever a 15 principle supporter writes a well articulated, factual post or in this case a stark comparison that shows the ignorance and hypocrisy of some it is never rebutted on a meaningful, factual or articulate level. It is only ever replied to with a nonsense condensation that add nothing to the forum.

Don't get me wrong. I love it when I am alluded too as tiring and being called a fascist, a thug, uninformed, ignorant, stupid, crazy and most other belittling words by some TVF members. I love it because I know THAT reply shows to me that I am right and my inconvenient truths have frustrated you suffocating you to the point of a one word reply in the final last gasp. "yawn" WOW!

If I was not right you would reply with an articulate, factual post to highlight why I was wrong.

There is only one thing you highlight when you reply with "yawn" and it ain't that you're tired!!!

Your post had me chuckling in agreement. When I see these abbreviated replies, such as "Yawn", I have visions of a bored, unkempt, ill-mannered curmudgeon, reclining on an unmade bed, surrounded by empty soda cans and pizza boxes.

A vision mind you and not necessarily factual. Worse perhaps?

[arisaje]

Another 2 kilometers to get to the boarding gates..can't wait.

a long walk before and after a flight is good exercise, quit your whining, you might live longer and build some stamina!