New security measures at Don Mueang airport causing long delays

[Jonathan Fairfield]

New security measures at Don Mueang airport causing long delays

(Pics: Matichon)

As from 17 July 2015 security measure at Don Mueang International Airport is revised.

Every piece of baggage both hand-carry and loaded baggage must be x-rayed before entering the check-in area.

This measure is aimed to prevent the airport from the unlawful interference action that may cause the delay of process.

We truly apologize for any inconvenience that may occur.

Source: AOT

pic: @Ravenclaw_sam

[bdenner]

So the delay of process is there to prevent "the delay of process".

[Somtamnication]

Police chiefs with small guns are allowed, however.

[ezzra]

That's ok with me, most of the travellers from DM are Chinese,, so no bad feeling there....

[grantbkk]

This could be one of the governments biggest fiascos, at least this year anyway.

[pinkpanther99]

Why are these new security measure only in place at Don Mueang and not Survanabhumi?

Is this reaction to some specific threat?

Seems strange to me.

Glad I don't have to fly from DM any time soon.

[ameadi]

Always foolish comments.

[GarryP]

What's the situation at Suvarnabhumi?

[webfact]

Don Mueang clogged with late travelers due to tightened security measures
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Don Mueang International Airport’s heightened luggage screening has slowed the normally brisk flow and caused passengers to miss flights during the weekend.

Since Friday when new luggage screening rules were quietly posted to the airport’s website, many unaware travelers were surprised by long lines at check-in.

"As from 17 July 2015, security measure at Don Mueang International Airport is revised. Every piece of baggage both hand-carry and loaded baggage must be -rayed before entering the check-in area. This measure is aimed to prevent the airport from the unlawful interference action that may cause the delay of process. We truly apologize for any inconvenience that may occur," the statement said.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/07/20/don-mueang-clogged-late-travelers-due-tightened-security-measures


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-07-20

[KhunBENQ]

DM becomes a complete joke for domestic flights under these conditions.

Will try to avoid for outbound flights at all price.

Does anyone have first hand experience/updates?

[Jonathan Fairfield]

DM becomes a complete joke for domestic flights under these conditions.

Will try to avoid for outbound flights at all price.

Does anyone have first hand experience/updates?

Not first hand experience but there's lots of people posting pics of long delays on Twitter:

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Image from Nok Air's Instagram:

[harada]

Don't panic terminal 2 will be open "soon"

Edited July 20, 2015 by harada

[webfact]

AOT beefs up baggage screening at Don Muang

BANGKOK, 20 July 2015 (NNT) - Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has stepped up baggage screening at Don Mueang airport in a bid to comply with measures from the Department of Civi Aviation (DCA).

The AOT has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the heightened security measures. All bags, both luggage and hand-carry bags, are now required to be scanned through X-ray machines before entering airline check-in areas.

After a recent security audit of the airport, the DCA has determined that the existing measures may not have been stringent enough. The new screening system has been put in place since July 17.

The newly implemented procedure has added 1 hour and a half to the amount of time spent at security checks. Passengers are urged to arrive earlier for their flights at the airport due to the beefed up measure.


-- NNT 2015-07-20

[webfact]

Tightened baggage check at Don Mueang



BANGKOK: -- Don Mueang airport turned chaotic last night and today with several hundreds of outbound passengers queuing up to have all their bags passing through X-ray checks before checking in.

BANGKOK: -- Passengers were caught by surprise with two sign boards in Thai and English languages requiring all bags to enter the security process before checking in at the airline counters.

When some passengers asked authorities at the X-ray machines, whether they needed to have their carry-on baggage placed on the machines, many with their baggage on shoulders have already passed the machines unchecked.

This prompted security officials to recall them back to the line for X-ray of their carry-on baggage.

Don Mueang airport announced increased security check since July 17 requiring all baggage brought into the passenger check-in areas to under X-ray check.

It asks passengers on domestic routes to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure, and passengers on overseas routes three and a half hours before departure.

Airport source said this measure is not new but is not strictly enforced in the past.

Under this regulation, all bags taken into the check-in areas must be first X-rayed.

However in the past, authorities merely required checked baggage loaded to the hold of the plane to undergo X-ray checks at the airline’s check-in counter.

The source said the increased security check has nothing to do with recent incident in which a senior police officer was arrested mm after he was found to have a loaded gun in his carry on baggage.

Don Mueang airport authorities said the increase security check was to cope with the Civil Aviation Department’s scheduled inspection of the security system at the airport today.

They also admitted that the increased security check received numerous complaints from passengers, particularly those ViPs.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tightened-baggage-check-at-don-mueang


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-20

[Saan]

Another win for bin Laden's mates.

[thenewgoo]

What a complete knee jerk reaction to the carry-on-gun fiasco! I will take this as AOT admitting a certain gun went through a Thai airport to Japan. As much as I am pleased measures are being taken to prevent guns being 'sneaked' on, these extra measures have clearly been implemented without any forward planning and operational/logistical evaluation. It doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is this sort of thing continues to happen when tourism is so important to this country. Most passengers going through this will probably never want to come back. My 80 y.o parents once got caught in a bottle neck rugby scrum for an escalator at Swampy airport - they now fly through Singapore to Chiang Mai. Shame on Thailand.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Great! We are flying from DM on this Friday at 6 am. Guess we'll have to be there at 4.

[prakhonchai nick]

Great! We are flying from DM on this Friday at 6 am. Guess we'll have to be there at 4.

2.30am if you are flying beyond Thailand!

[EvilDrSomkid]

Domestic

[chrisinth]

They did this for a period last year as well, and then I couldn't understand the reason or sense in doing this.

I always travel with only carry-on, so imagine, or explain this scenario. You arrive at the check-in gates, put your carry-on through the scanner and proceed to the check-in counter. I normally use Nok and go to row 6 and check-in at the 'no accompanying baggage' counter at the end of the row. Check-in, receive my ticket and exit the check-in area, exit the terminal and go for a last cigarette.

Finish the cigarette and go straight to the domestic departure gate, go through the passport/boarding pass check and through the scanners inside.

The first check serves no purpose what-so-ever as I could leave the terminal!

With Air Asia it is even better as you can receive your boarding pass from one of their automated machines, no airline staff interaction at all!

Would be happy if someone could explain this.

Edit: Just to add, I am a frequent flier on the domestic routes, at least 2 times a month (there and back)

Edited July 20, 2015 by chrisinth

[bdenner]

Double the security without doubling the hardware required along with operators = AOT = Effin idiots (ba ba bor bor)!

I truly apologize for any inconvenience my message may do to your reputation!

Edited July 20, 2015 by bdenner

[arunsakda]

This is how NAIA in Manila operates. A travel nightmare to be avoided.

[cnx355]

Why are these new security measure only in place at Don Mueang and not Survanabhumi?

Is this reaction to some specific threat?

Seems strange to me.

Glad I don't have to fly from DM any time soon.

In one of the major English language newspaper, they reported that it would cause too much inconvenience to do the same at BKK soit is not done there ,

It useless as the carry-on luggage will be scanned again at security doors

And it do not prevent any illegal device entering the airport as the scanning is done not at the doors but later at check-in

In smaller Chiangmai airport they scan your bag at the entry door so it make more senses for security.

I was at DMK Sunday morning and I can tell you those photos are real...55 minutes from the first queue at the Scanning device and then another queue at my airline check-in.

[user82374298374]

The article clearly states that this is a dog-and-pony show because of an upcoming airport inspection. As with most such fiascos, expect it to be ended after the inspection was 'successfully' passed.

[Lupatria]

If there is no chaos or inconvenience yet- be patient we work on it.TIT

[wvavin]

How fail can the Thai fail in everything they do?

[johnbarpic]

Another one now in force at survanabhumi Power Banks restrictions

The large capacity of mobile external charger couldn't bring on board!

External charger, or known as ‘Power Bank’ that available from small to large capacity; start from thousand to ten-thousand milliamp (mAh). International Air Transport Association (IATA) has regulated for airline security by as follows

1)Power Bank Do not keep spare batteries in checked baggage. It is permitted to take spare batteries in cabin baggage.

2)Power Bank Capacity of spare battery which is permitted to keep in cabin baggage must not be higher than 32,000 mAh.

3) Power Bank A battery which capacity is 20,000 mAh(or less than 10,000 Wh) is permitted in the cabin for unidentified number.

4)Power Bank A battery which capacity is 20,000-32,000 mAh(or higher than 160 Wh) is limited to 2 pieces in the cabin.

Power Bank A battery which capacity is higher than 32,000 mAh(or more than 160 Wh) is forbidden on-board.

[BernieOnTour]

did the AOT management make an excursion to Manila recently?

- that's the same BS, they practice at the NAIA airports, making it one of the worst airports in SE Asia.

[phrodan]

Aw come on - we just had an ex-cop take a gun through security at a Thai airport recently.

I can't think of a worse security breach.

Every terrorist in the world must have read that story and thought to themselves -

"Bingo."