Thaksin Eases Suvarnabhumi Move Timetable

[george]

Thaksin eases Suvarnabhumi move timetable

BANGKOK: -- To cool the publicly-expressed displeasure of Thai Airways International (THAI) staff to moving the airline's domestic operations to the new Suvarnabhumi international airport for a Sept 15 startup, Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has moderated his earlier demand.

Domestic airlines wishing to operate from the airport on that day could do so on voluntary basis, but it will not be mandatory.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Thaksin said he would meet with the Suvarnabhumi international airport committee Sept. 14 and would leave for Cuba to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)meeting immediately after the airport meeting ends.

Most sections at the airport will start operating on Sept. 15, while international airlines will begin flying from there at 3am (0300 hours) on September 28, he said.

Inconvenience and confusion in moving airline documents and effects to Suvarnabhumi international airport will inevitably could be reduced if they could move and operating from there on September 15.

Several incentives will be given to local airlines including free parking and landing if they could move from Don Muang International Airport to Suvarnabhumi between Sept 15-27, he said, adding that

services from the present airport would cease at 3am on Sept 28.

THAI is so far the only local carrier that has agreed to fly from the new airport on Sept. 15.

Although the company made its corporate decision, many staff disagreed with the early move, saying that support facilities, including bus transport, is not at operational readiness.

--TNA 2006-08-19

[Rinrada]

Hope they got my FREE limo....

[farangsay]

Thaksin eases Suvarnabhumi move timetable

BANGKOK: -- To cool the publicly-expressed displeasure of Thai Airways International (THAI) staff to moving the airline's domestic operations to the new Suvarnabhumi international airport for a Sept 15 startup, Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has moderated his earlier demand.

Domestic airlines wishing to operate from the airport on that day could do so on voluntary basis, but it will not be mandatory.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Thaksin said he would meet with the Suvarnabhumi international airport committee Sept. 14 and would leave for Cuba to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)meeting immediately after the airport meeting ends.

Most sections at the airport will start operating on Sept. 15, while international airlines will begin flying from there at 3am (0300 hours) on September 28, he said.

Inconvenience and confusion in moving airline documents and effects to Suvarnabhumi international airport will inevitably could be reduced if they could move and operating from there on September 15.

Several incentives will be given to local airlines including free parking and landing if they could move from Don Muang International Airport to Suvarnabhumi between Sept 15-27, he said, adding that

services from the present airport would cease at 3am on Sept 28.

THAI is so far the only local carrier that has agreed to fly from the new airport on Sept. 15.

Although the company made its corporate decision, many staff disagreed with the early move, saying that support facilities, including bus transport, is not at operational readiness.

--TNA 2006-08-19

Lucky he's onely a caretaker PM , otherwise he might get really bossy !

[Rinrada]

K.W was talking to one of her mates who works in customs at D.M and she has told her that they are definately packing up all their gear and moving over to Suwanna during the first 2 weeks in September.....so....should be interesting since it seems only Thai Inter will be landing there.

Can imagine every other flight being diverted to...where.....KL.Singers,Honkers,N.Korea...

.....bus jobbi.....

[Maestro]

they are definately packing up all their gear

Google search on

1. ThaiVisa

definately: 218 = 25%

definitely: 656 = 75%

2. the Web

definately: 24,900 = 0.01%

definitely: 214,000,000 = 99.99%

I started to worry after seeing “definately” used a few times too often on ThaiVisa by a large number of posters but after doing this search I feel better: “definately” will not replace “definitely” in the dictionaries for some time.

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

Maestro

[britmaveric]

Back peddling is starting..... anyone want to wager who fearless leader blames for the airport not opening???

[Lang]

they are definately packing up all their gear

Google search on

1. ThaiVisa

definately: 218 = 25%

definitely: 656 = 75%

2. the Web

definately: 24,900 = 0.01%

definitely: 214,000,000 = 99.99%

I started to worry after seeing “definately” used a few times too often on ThaiVisa by a large number of posters but after doing this search I feel better: “definately” will not replace “definitely” in the dictionaries for some time.

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

Maestro

you can't live in thailand if you can't acccccept mistakes, and you can't have a thai woman as well.

[Plus]

Now that the elecltion is likely to be postponed, the airport opening date also has to move, for bigger impact.

[tourleadersi]

This really is a complete pain in the rear end! I will be flying up from Koh Samui layte on the 19th with my olds who will then be flying on to London early the next morning. They want to stay in a hotel for the few hours between flights, but at the moment I really don't know where they will be flying in and out off!

This must be a minor headache compared to the issues faced by tour operators and airlines. Why can't they just say "This is the date, now all of you get over to the new gaff for that date?"

[IMA_FARANG]

K.W was talking to one of her mates who works in customs at D.M and she has told her that they are definately packing up all their gear and moving over to Suwanna during the first 2 weeks in September.....so....should be interesting since it seems only Thai Inter will be landing there.

Can imagine every other flight being diverted to...where.....KL.Singers,Honkers,N.Korea...

.....bus jobbi.....

I am currently booked on a Thai International flight leaving Athens on the 2nd of October and arriving in BKK on the 3rd of October. I have attempted to ask the Thai International office here in Athens which airport that flight will arrive in, the new or old airport. As of 16 August Thai International is unable to tell me whether the Thai International flight will be going into Suwanna or Don Muang.

AS OF 16 AUGUST THE THAI INTERNATIONAL OFFICE HERE IN ATHENS HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN A DATE WHEN THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE OPERATING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS FROM ATHENS INTO THE NEW AIRPORT.

Pay no attention to the newspaper and the politician's announcements. The people who will be responsable for flying the plane, don't yet know when they will actually operating into the new airport.

The situation may change in September, but, once again, as of 16 August Thai international in Athens does NOT KNOW the date when they will actually be operating real world flights into Suwanna.

Edited August 19, 2006 by IMA_FARANG

[Rinrada]

Well as I said on another thread I will be on the midnight special TG flight on the 28th Sept from Blighty and EXPECT to bump onto the tarmac (cracks all filled in..eh) around 3-00pm on the 29th at Suwanna.

If perchance I dont make it then I will let everyone know. ....all righty....Mai Pen..etc...

[Ricardo]

This really is a complete pain in the rear end! I will be flying up from Koh Samui layte on the 19th with my olds who will then be flying on to London early the next morning. They want to stay in a hotel for the few hours between flights, but at the moment I really don't know where they will be flying in and out off!

This must be a minor headache compared to the issues faced by tour operators and airlines. Why can't they just say "This is the date, now all of you get over to the new gaff for that date?"

Relax, I think, as I saw on the evening TV-News a couple of days ago that - Bangkok Airways are not planning to switch earlier than the 28th. The reason being that they realise that their passengers do connect to international-flights, so switching too early would be a disaster.

Clearly Thai Airways also realise this, hence the meager response to 'Fearless Leader's' acting caretaker demands to do something as dumb as this would be, with only a nominal few flights being switched across.

But if all the customs people are moving early-September - who will there be on duty at Don Muang ?

[John K]

Thaksin: I want you to start using the airport on the 15th!

Airlines: That’s nice.

[Cool Water Palace]

I'm trying unsuccessfully to search for a map of the new rail extension(s). I can only find a pdf document of the planned full new network, presumably from the website of the main construction co. I also found a list of planned extensions, one of which is Prannok to Samut Prakan. I assume that could be the one I need a map of, although there is also one from Talingchan to new airport. The full map also shows an extension of the Sukhumvit line, but assume that is years away.

Can anyone show the appropriate link, either on Thaivisa or the web? Thanks.

[Tony Clifton]

Thaksin eases Suvarnabhumi move timetable

BANGKOK: -- To cool the publicly-expressed displeasure of Thai Airways International (THAI) staff to moving the airline's domestic operations to the new Suvarnabhumi international airport for a Sept 15 startup, After being told again and again that rushing the opening was one of his stupidest ideas, Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has moderated his earlier demand.

--TNA 2006-08-19

Edited August 20, 2006 by Tony Clifton