Bangkok airplane graveyard becomes home for families

[webfact]

Bangkok airplane graveyard becomes home for families
By CNN Staff

(CNN)Frequent fliers may complain they sometimes feel like they live on board a plane, but that's the reality apparently facing some otherwise homeless families in Bangkok.

For them, however, there's none of the relative comforts of modern aviation.

The planes they occupy are derelict wrecks -- the skeletons of decommissioned jets, including a Boeing 747, left to rot on private land in Ramkhampaeng, an eastern neighborhood of the Thai capital.

Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/15/travel/bangkok-plane-graveyard/index.html?eref=rss_asia


-- CNN 2015-09-16

[Bakseeda]

Looks like a scrapheap to me..! .....

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Living in a derilect aircraft but someone still signed them up to make payments on a Honda sedan.

[DLang]

I see they can still afford their mobile phones.

Edited September 16, 2015 by DLang

[impulse]

These images, taken by photojournalist Taylor Weidman, who's lived in Thailand for two years,

Quite a bit off topic, but I hope Mr Weidman had his immigration documents in order before he got his name and occupation mentioned in the article.

[Sviss Geez]

I see they can still afford their mobile phones.

How much did that unfortunate girl's phone cost, then? And bear in mind that this was a CNN article, the Thais featured weren't complaining about the cost of anything.

[Sviss Geez]

Living in a derilect aircraft but someone still signed them up to make payments on a Honda sedan.

Which one of the aircraft occupiers did the car belong to? Possibly it was the photographers?

[kaiyaibob]

From the OP " left to rot on private land in Ramkhampaeng" They will have to wait a long time for them to Rot...most large commercial aircraft fuselages of that era are made from Aluminium / Aluminum

Edited September 16, 2015 by kaiyaibob

[MrBrilliant]

These images, taken by photojournalist Taylor Weidman, who's lived in Thailand for two years,

Quite a bit off topic, but I hope Mr Weidman had his immigration documents in order before he got his name and occupation mentioned in the article.

What business is his documentation of yours?

[MrBrilliant]

Good work CNN.

Now it's only a matter of time until some well connected 'scrap merchant' gets his gang of thugs workforce, hired police and machinery in there, claiming 'ownership' either of the wrecks or the land, bunging out these poor folk, taking this good few tonnes of scrap to the recycling centre for a tidy sum.....

[timmyp]

Fascinating photos.

[mgjackson69]

Living in a derilect aircraft but someone still signed them up to make payments on a Honda sedan.

Which one of the aircraft occupiers did the car belong to? Possibly it was the photographers?

A photojournalist would surely know how to set up and frame a shot.

The car would not be in the photo unless the photographer wanted it there.

[Searat7]

Looks like half of Orient Thai's fleet....they have old planes in storage all over Thailand. Their active fleet is about 25 yr old and I just found an article which appeared to have been written in 2008 quoting their CEO said he was planning to order all new planes including 787's. Apparently that never happened.

[3SoiDogNight]

...and those airplanes are still better than flying on Air Asia.

[gerry123]

bit of a mini MUMBAI brewing here anyone used MUMBAI airport will know what i mean

[phitsanulokjohn]

Well at least for now the homeless have a roof over their heads,I know it's not ideal but still got to be an improvement on living on the streets.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

At least some of the fuselages of the jets have been there for years. I've read various articles and pieces on the place over the years, but none of them have ever explained who owns the land or why it's being allowed to be used as a jet part junk yard in a location far away from any airport.

[impulse]

These images, taken by photojournalist Taylor Weidman, who's lived in Thailand for two years,

Quite a bit off topic, but I hope Mr Weidman had his immigration documents in order before he got his name and occupation mentioned in the article.

What business is his documentation of yours?

Absolutely none. But if a freelance (photog, journo, whatever- you fill in the blank) reads that post and thinks twice about the potential consequences of having their name associated with WORK they're doing in Thailand, I'd chalk it up as a win. I have no desire to read about yet another productive foreigner prevented from living the dream in Thailand because of a momentary lapse in staying under the radar.

Edited September 16, 2015 by impulse

[rgs2001uk]

At least some of the fuselages of the jets have been there for years. I've read various articles and pieces on the place over the years, but none of them have ever explained who owns the land or why it's being allowed to be used as a jet part junk yard in a location far away from any airport.

The graveyard thats talked about is on Ram right beside Amway, right beside Wat Sri Bun Reuang up around Ram 103/105.

The story I was told was it was to be converted into a restaurant.

The land itself is a fair old chunk of land and must be worth a fair few bob.

Similair aircraft can be seen on Lat Prao and Ram Intra.

I dont seen anyone living there when I drive by the place.

Up where I live there are houses falling into disrepair, no one knows who the owners are or where they live, so they just rot away, too be honest they are nothing more than an eyesore.

Ghost Tower in Bkk springs to mind.

[Johpa]

I see they can still afford their mobile phones.

I do remember when owning a cell phone in Thailand was somewhat costly and the phone was a status symbol. But that was decades ago.

[Nemesis7]

Where is the harm if few people can get a place for shelter in it around these scraped plane bodies ??

[gk10002000]

At least some of the fuselages of the jets have been there for years. I've read various articles and pieces on the place over the years, but none of them have ever explained who owns the land or why it's being allowed to be used as a jet part junk yard in a location far away from any airport.

I read an article that the B747 piece was bought by a group that was going to open a club or lounge with some sort of aeronautical theme. Can't remember where I read that. Might have been here on Thai Visa somewhere

[Gonsalviz]

Living in a derilect aircraft but someone still signed them up to make payments on a Honda sedan.

Which one of the aircraft occupiers did the car belong to? Possibly it was the photographers?

A photojournalist would surely know how to set up and frame a shot.

The car would not be in the photo unless the photographer wanted it there.

I doubt CNN actually would pay for a decent photographer. They are the worst when it comes to aviation related pieces.

[Gonsalviz]

I've seen a lot of houses that are not nearly as nice.

[northernphil]

I like the pic of the girl with the mobile is cute and she has nice legs........................but then I am a sad bastard.