Airport's Aircraft Parking Bays And A Taxiway Closed For Repairs

[esprit]

It was always my understanding that airline's insurance places an onus of responsibility on that specific airline to ensure that all flights take-off and landing movements are undertaken at those international airports that either hold a full or interimAerodrome Certificate thus ensuring risk is controled as the safety requirements of that airport has met miniumum standards set by the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Without this certificate all airlines are effectively landing and taking off at their own risk. What happens, God forbid, if their is a disaster on landing/take-off that could be attributed to unsafe runways/taxiways ? It will haunt Thailand for years. It impacted Tenerife when 2 planes "doubled parked", albeit for diffferant reasons, that led to the deaths of many people (still I believe the highest number of deaths for that type of accident ever). It was a tag that did not get discarded until the other airport, built into the sea, opened.

Just a thought as to where and what the inevitable follow-up litigation would go. Any Airline insurance experts out there ?

Regards,

Dave

[charlesfrith]

It was always my understanding that airline's insurance places an onus of responsibility on that specific airline to ensure that all flights take-off and landing movements are undertaken at those international airports that either hold a full or interimAerodrome Certificate thus ensuring risk is controled as the safety requirements of that airport has met miniumum standards set by the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Without this certificate all airlines are effectively landing and taking off at their own risk. What happens, God forbid, if their is a disaster on landing/take-off that could be attributed to unsafe runways/taxiways ? It will haunt Thailand for years. It impacted Tenerife when 2 planes "doubled parked", albeit for diffferant reasons, that led to the deaths of many people (still I believe the highest number of deaths for that type of accident ever). It was a tag that did not get discarded until the other airport, built into the sea, opened.

Just a thought as to where and what the inevitable follow-up litigation would go. Any Airline insurance experts out there ?

Regards,

Dave

I smell a lawyer in the house

I don't know the answer to your question but you might appreciate that in the pilots forums they mention how they steering the planes around the cracks which would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

http ://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=260963

rgds

charles

[sriracha john]

Well... well... well.... Don Muang is back in business.... Open for flights soon:

Some domestic flights to shift to old Bangkok airport

BANGKOK - A meeting Monday between Thailand's Ministry of Transport and other agencies concerned agreed to transfer domestic flights without ongoing connections to Bangkok's former international airport, Transport Minister Thira Haocharoen said.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with representatives from the Civil Aviation Department and the Airports of Thailand (AOT), Admiral Thira said his ministry will submit the proposal for Cabinet approval next week.

The transfer is expected to take 45-60 days to complete.

He conceded that the service transfer, on a voluntary basis, is due to congestion and problems with taxiways and runways at the four-month old Suvarnabhumi Airport which resulted in the closing of some areas for heavy repair work.

Admiral Thira said, however, it has yet to determine whether the transfer will be temporary or permanent, pending further consideration.

There is no need to inform no-frills airlines about the decision as they are well-prepared for the move for some time, he said.

AOT will jointly share the financial costs of the transfer with budget airlines that agree to move their non-connecting domestic flights to Don Muang.

- MCOT

[sriracha john]

Thai airport hit by runway cracks

Suvarnabhumi airport has been dogged by controversy

Thailand's transport ministry is to recommend some domestic flights be transferred from Bangkok's new airport to the decommissioned old one. The move is necessary to allow the authorities to repair a series of cracks in the runways.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, designed to showcase Thailand as a regional hub, opened in September to huge publicity.

But the building has been dogged by problems, from allegations of corruption to claims of a ghost.

After a meeting with airport officials, Transport Minister Thira Haocharoen said he would seek Cabinet approval to reopen the old international airport at Don Muang on a temporary basis.

"The decision to move back to Don Muang was based on a series of problems that have plagued Suvarnabhumi, from cracks on the taxiways to out-of-order aerobridges," Mr Thira said.

The reopening is expected to take place within two months' time, he added.

Airlines would move on a voluntary basis and only flights which had no international connections would be asked to make the switch.

But correspondents say the move will still complicate travel for many international visitors, who travel to Bangkok and then transfer to different airlines for flights to Thailand's famed beach resorts.

Corruption claims

The Thai authorities hoped that Suvaranabhumi, which means Golden Land, would rival the airports in Hong Kong and Singapore and cement Thailand's reputation as a regional hub.

Suvarnabhumi boasts the largest passenger terminal in the world

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in September, made the project one of the main priorities of his administration, and the $4 billion glass and steel airport should theoretically be able to handle 45 million passengers a year.

But since development started more than 40 years ago, the project has been mired by a series of problems.

Politicians from Mr Thaksin's administration were accused of buying up land in advance of construction, to sell on again at huge profits, and the purchase of the airport's high-tech X-Ray scanners was also tainted by allegations of corruption.

The project also suffered many delays and accidents, including a fire that swept through a catering hall, killing a member of staff.

Even supernatural forces seem to have been against Suvarnabhumi, and dozens of people reported seeing ghosts during the construction process.

- BBC

[mark lamai]

repairs are underway as we speak....

local emergency crews are hard at work..

[sriracha john]

SUVARNABHUMI CRISIS

Don Muang to be resurrected

Airlines can resume domestic flights at old airport; international traffic will continue at troubled new facility

Airlines have been given the option of returning operations to the decommissioned Bangkok International Airport at Don Muang while repairs are made at the Bt150-billion Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The Transport Ministry recommended yesterday that carriers offering direct domestic flights be allowed to return to the old airport. It said it would take between 45 day and 60 days to prepare Don Muang to accept flights and passengers again.

International flights will continue to use Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The resolution will be tabled at the February 6 Cabinet meeting, Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen said after meeting yesterday with top transport officials.

"The return to Don Muang is on a voluntary basis and is required to reduce inconvenience at Suvarnabhumi, where runway, taxiway, parking-bay and passenger-terminal repairs are under way," he said.

"These could cause inconvenience now that Suvarnabhumi is busy with domestic and international flights."

He said it was not known if the return would be made permanent. But, he said, from discussions with airlines, moving domestic flights to Don Muang would reduce all traffic at Suvarnabhumi by 30 per cent.

At present, Suvarnabhumi accommodates 1,150 domestic flights per week.

Theera believed a return to Don Muang would not trouble carriers. They would require ground services only and not heavy, permanent equipment installed at Suvarnabhumi.

In a January 11 resolution, the Airports of Thailand board approved spending of Bt66 million to prepare Don Muang. It will need to provide other facilities and services, including taxis and buses.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um noted almost all domestic carriers were ready and willing to return to Don Muang. Airports of Thailand will discuss how expenses incurred will be met.

"Airlines should be able to shoulder the expenses," he said.

Open just four months, Suvarnabhumi is operating near its capacity of 45 million passengers a year. Based on the current volume of arrivals and departures, it is calculated Suvarnabhumi is operating at a level equivalent to 43 million passengers a year.

Sansern expected the move back to Don Muang would see a delay to the building of a new passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi.

Orient-Thai Airlines chief executive Udom Tantiprasongchai said its One-Two-Go Airlines was ready to return to Don Muang.

"As a result of lower operating costs, this should allow us to register a 20-per-cent increase in passenger numbers this year, up from our original target of 10 per cent," he said, adding the airline needed to spend about Bt40 million on equipment at its Don Muang facilities.

A Transport Ministry source said agencies at yesterday's meeting suggested Thai Airways International maintain key domestic flights at Suvarnabhumi.

This is to accommodate foreign tourists who need connecting flights to internal tourist destinations. If these flights are operated from Suvarnabhumi, travellers will be inconvenienced.

Earlier, Thai Airways said it was ready to relocate non-transit domestic flights to Don Muang.

However, flights to and from Phuket and Chiang Mai will remain at Suvarnabhumi owning to the volume of international connections to and from these destinations.

The Nation

[ballzafire]

The Transport Ministry recommended yesterday that carriers offering direct domestic flights be allowed to return to the old airport. It said it would take between 45 day and 60 days to prepare Don Muang to accept flights and passengers again.

International flights will continue to use Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Great.

So if you start your journey on a domestic flight and arrive at the old airport, do you have to get in a taxi and make a run to the new one for your int'l connection?

This is getting comical...

[sriracha john]

The Transport Ministry recommended yesterday that carriers offering direct domestic flights be allowed to return to the old airport. It said it would take between 45 day and 60 days to prepare Don Muang to accept flights and passengers again.

International flights will continue to use Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Great.

So if you start your journey on a domestic flight and arrive at the old airport, do you have to get in a taxi and make a run to the new one for your int'l connection?

This is getting comical...

Another travel option is there's also bus service between the two airports.

[britmaveric]

[so if you start your journey on a domestic flight and arrive at the old airport, do you have to get in a taxi and make a run to the new one for your int'l connection?

YES!!!!

[sriracha john]

[so if you start your journey on a domestic flight and arrive at the old airport, do you have to get in a taxi and make a run to the new one for your int'l connection?

YES!!!!

Thai Airways International president Apinan Sumanaseni said it would assign part of its staff to Don Muang airport. Flights to Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket would be available at both airports and THAI would provide a passenger shuttle service. He suggested the use of Don Muang's domestic terminal to keep passengers' walk short. Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld said the airline could not move only its domestic flights to Don Muang because its domestic and international flights had to share aircraft.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Jan2007_news01.php

[sriracha john]

Rocky start for Bangkok airport

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The taxiways are cracked, the terminal has leaks and some airlines even wonder whether it's safe to fly into Thailand's new international airport.

Bangkok's sleek and modern Suvarnabhumi Airport, which opened to great fanfare in September, was supposed to transform the Thai capital into Southeast Asia's leading air hub. To say it has had a rocky start would be an understatement.

Critics at home have derided the new airport as a national embarrassment and a monument to the alleged corruption of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin, whose administration handed out most of the airport's building contracts, was ousted in a coup just days before Suvarnabhumi opened on September 28.

"There is so much bad news about this airport -- and so much that needs to be fixed," said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand, or AOT, the national airport authority. "Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned."

Transport Minister Thira Haocharoen recommended on Monday that Bangkok's old and now shuttered Don Muang airport be reopened for domestic flights that do not connect to international routes. The reopening, which is expected to get Cabinet approval next week, would help ease congestion while repairs are made at Suvarnabhumi and could be permanent, he said.

All told, there are 61 glitches, problems and design flaws that need to be repaired at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (US$45 million; euro34 million), according to a study conducted by the board of AOT, which hopes to fix the problems within six months and sees no need to close the airport during repairs.

The most urgent problem is cracks on the tarmac. Early last week, airport authorities said that more than 100 cracks were detected in taxiways leading to Suvarnabhumi's two runways. The cracks first emerged about two weeks after the airport opened and have spread to 25 separate locations, said Somchai Sawasdeepon, the airport's general manager.

As a result, planes are unable to use 11 out of 51 air bridges for boarding aircraft, causing inconvenience to passengers who are shuttled by bus to and from their planes.

Thira, the transport minister, admitted last week that "some airlines have concerns" about the airport's safety.

While authorities insist the problems at Suvarnabhumi pose no threat to safety, the timing couldn't be worse for Thailand. The country is struggling to buffer its tourism industry from a spate of recent bad publicity, including months of anti-government protests that culminated in the military coup and deadly bombings in Bangkok on New Year's Eve.

Suvarnabhumi is the gateway for millions of tourists who flock to Thailand every year for its white-sand beaches. So far, tour agencies say they've seen no fallout and officials report that despite last year's political instability Thailand recorded its highest number of tourists ever -- 13.8 million, up nearly 20 percent from 2005.

But cracks at the airport could be more of a turnoff.

"It will be terribly worrying for foreigners," Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Pornsiri Manoharn was recently quoted as saying by local media. "They could withdraw their travel plans immediately."

Other problems include a shortage of toilets for passengers, which drew initial outcries about dirty bathrooms and prompted authorities to earmark 40 million baht ($1.2 million; euro928,000) to build 200 new toilets throughout Suvarnabhumi, which bills itself as the world's biggest single terminal airport.

Bathrooms are also being redesigned for the handicapped, whose needs were widely overlooked in the airport, AOT's Yodiam said.

Problems with the baggage-handling system and computerized check-in services have led to lost luggage and long lines for passengers.

Signs in many areas are confusing or nonexistent. The air conditioning and revolving doors don't always work and over the weekend a pipe burst in an upper level bathroom, causing leaks that damaged luggage on a lower level.

Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation decided on Friday to hold off on renewing the airport's international safety certificate, known as its Aerodrome Certificate, because needed repairs to taxiways were not yet finished. The airport can continue to operate without the license -- Bangkok's old Don Muang airport never had one -- but the announcement delivered yet another image blow.

Suvarnabhumi is no stranger to bad publicity, and some said it was doomed from the start. The airport was built on a wetland, known as "Cobra Swamp," a name deemed by some to be inauspicious. Indeed, the cracks in taxiways are believed to stem from underground water seeping through the asphalt and cement.

The facility took more than 40 years to finish and was dogged by corruption allegations throughout its planning and building -- which finally picked up pace during the Thaksin administration.

The military-installed government that ousted Thaksin has opened several corruption investigations into the airport.

Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram said Suvarnabhumi could be seen as a metaphor for the widespread corruption of Thaksin's regime. The ousted tycoon-turned-politician was widely accused of crafting policies to enrich himself and his cronies.

"You're beginning to see the evidence of Thaksin's wrongdoing in this -- our mother of all airports," he told a gathering of foreign journalists on Monday.

Newspaper columnists have filled their pages with renewed accusations that Thaksin rushed the airport through despite warnings that it wasn't ready for business.

Thaksin "wanted the new airport to become a hallmark of his government's success," Thanong Khanthong, a senior editor of The Nation newspaper, wrote in a recent column. "Now that Thaksin has gone, all the dirty tricks that occurred while the airport was built have become evident."

- Associated Press.

[sriracha john]

REPORTING SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT CRACKS

Justice sought on behalf of sacked reporters

The Press Council of Thailand is planning to discuss possible moves to help two senior Bangkok Post reporters who lost their jobs for exposing the runway cracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport almost two years ago. Suwat Tongtanakul, the council acting president, yesterday joined a call for justice for former news editor Chadin Tephaval and assistant chief reporter Sermsuk Kasitipradit, saying their report was consistent with the recent discovery of cracks on the airport's runways and taxiways. ''I personally want the Post management to find remedial measures for the two reporters because it is now evident that the cracks are really there,'' he said, adding the council will meet on Feb 1 to consider what it can do to help the two journalists.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/29Jan2007_news03.php

It's a pity they didn't have the backbone to support them 2 years ago.

and their response to that:

'Bangkok Post' stands by sackings

The Bangkok Post issued a statement yesterday defending its decision to fire two senior journalists in 2005 after an internal inquiry into a "misleading" article about runway cracks at the new airport.

The statement came amid growing reports by local and international media about former chief reporter Sermsuk Kasitpradit and former news editor Chadin Thepaval being possibly vindicated for having warned the public about the problem.

"The truth is, the company's position proceeded in accordance to the [investigation] committee [decision] that the two had not performed their duties appropriately," the statement, in Thai, read.

The paper also insisted the fact the runway now has many cracks didn't necessarily mean its page-one story in August 2005 by Sermsuk was correct.

When contacted by The Nation, Sermsuk reacted to the statement with a laugh and said the investigation also contained several inaccuracies. "I think they [the Bangkok Post] are being pressured by society. They lost face. Irregularity began when they fired me. Even the [investigation] committee didn't recommend dismissing me but to take disciplinary action. But when it reached [then editor] David Armstrong, he said it was a grave mistake," he said.

"The matter is now in [the labour] court. So I now understand there will be no settlement. I now hope the court ruling will set a standard."

Sermsuk claimed he was a victim of political interference under Thaksin Shinawatra's administration and unfair treatment by his then editor.

"When the incident occurred, Armstrong was acting editor. Now he's the CEO. When I said he must take responsibility, I think he felt bad and upset."

The Post statement also said Sermsuk and Chadin "accepted to the investigating committee they were sorry for their mistakes". Sermsuk said yesterday what he said in 2005 was "if some failures took place, then I'm sorry".

The Nation

[sriracha john]

Airport repairs halted until investigation ends

Repairs to the runway and taxiway cracks at Suvarnabhumi have been put on hold until a thorough investigation by the board of the Airports of Thailand Plc into the cause of the cracks is completed. Designiated chief investigator Tortrakul Yomnak said on Tuesday the repair halt is to prevent faulty repair methods from being employed and to protect visiting aircraft.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=116437

[charlesfrith]

Airport repairs halted until investigation ends

Repairs to the runway and taxiway cracks at Suvarnabhumi have been put on hold until a thorough investigation by the board of the Airports of Thailand Plc into the cause of the cracks is completed. Designiated chief investigator Tortrakul Yomnak said on Tuesday the repair halt is to prevent faulty repair methods from being employed and to protect visiting aircraft.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=116437

Surely the buck stops with David Armstrongs resignation?

[sriracha john]

Engineer suspects airport cover-up

Felt intimidated and used during 2005 inspection

An expert engineer yesterday voiced suspicion that people in the last Thaksin Shinawatra government covered over cracks in the runways at Suvarnabhumi airport. Tortrakul Yomnak, a member of Airports of Thailand (AoT), said like other engineers, he used to believe that cracks at the new airport were ''technical cracks'', which are not unusual during construction. Mr Tortrakul also inspected the airport in 2005 after the Bangkok Post ran stories about cracks in the runways.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/01Feb2007_news08.php

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

Runway repairs could take 3 YEARS!....

[Pattayatony]

Runway repairs could take 3 YEARS!.... :D

Is there something wrong with the new airport in Bangkok ????

[sriracha john]

REPORTING SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT CRACKS

Justice sought on behalf of sacked reporters

The Press Council of Thailand is planning to discuss possible moves to help two senior Bangkok Post reporters who lost their jobs for exposing the runway cracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport almost two years ago. Suwat Tongtanakul, the council acting president, yesterday joined a call for justice for former news editor Chadin Tephaval and assistant chief reporter Sermsuk Kasitipradit, saying their report was consistent with the recent discovery of cracks on the airport's runways and taxiways. ''I personally want the Post management to find remedial measures for the two reporters because it is now evident that the cracks are really there,'' he said, adding the council will meet on Feb 1 to consider what it can do to help the two journalists.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/29Jan2007_news03.php

It's a pity they didn't have the backbone to support them 2 years ago.

and their response to that:

'Bangkok Post' stands by sackings

The Bangkok Post issued a statement yesterday defending its decision to fire two senior journalists in 2005 after an internal inquiry into a "misleading" article about runway cracks at the new airport.

The statement came amid growing reports by local and international media about former chief reporter Sermsuk Kasitpradit and former news editor Chadin Thepaval being possibly vindicated for having warned the public about the problem.

"The truth is, the company's position proceeded in accordance to the [investigation] committee [decision] that the two had not performed their duties appropriately," the statement, in Thai, read.

The paper also insisted the fact the runway now has many cracks didn't necessarily mean its page-one story in August 2005 by Sermsuk was correct.

When contacted by The Nation, Sermsuk reacted to the statement with a laugh and said the investigation also contained several inaccuracies. "I think they [the Bangkok Post] are being pressured by society. They lost face. Irregularity began when they fired me. Even the [investigation] committee didn't recommend dismissing me but to take disciplinary action. But when it reached [then editor] David Armstrong, he said it was a grave mistake," he said.

"The matter is now in [the labour] court. So I now understand there will be no settlement. I now hope the court ruling will set a standard."

Sermsuk claimed he was a victim of political interference under Thaksin Shinawatra's administration and unfair treatment by his then editor.

"When the incident occurred, Armstrong was acting editor. Now he's the CEO. When I said he must take responsibility, I think he felt bad and upset."

The Post statement also said Sermsuk and Chadin "accepted to the investigating committee they were sorry for their mistakes". Sermsuk said yesterday what he said in 2005 was "if some failures took place, then I'm sorry".

The Nation

Post urged to rethink action against staff

Two media organisations yesterday issued statements calling on the Bangkok Post to review its disciplinary action against two senior journalists over its controversial stories about cracks in a runway at Suvarnabhumi airport. Following two reports on the runway cracks in August 2005 _ which were then denied by airport authorities and government officials _ the Bangkok Post sacked chief reporter Sermsuk Kasitipradit and required the resignation of news editor Chadin Tephaval. The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) yesterday issued a statement demanding that the management of Post Publishing Plc, the Bangkok Post publisher, review its decision after authorities recently confirmed that several cracks were found on the runways and taxiways at the airport.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Feb2007_news05.php

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

"several cracks".... yeah... a hundred cracks were found.

[sriracha john]

AOT board member backs sacked 'Post' reporter

A member of Airports of Thailand's board yesterday threw his support behind sacked Bangkok Post reporter Sermsuk Asitidit, hinting at an attempted cover-up of the expos้ of runway cracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2005.

Tortrakul Yomnak, the civil engineer leading the current investigation into safety at the airport, sat next to the former Bangkok Post senior reporter at a Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand event on Wednesday night.

Tortrakul said he had received information from an engineer that there may have been a cover-up when a team of investigators went to inspect the runway after Sermsuk's story broke in 2005.

Tortrakul said systematic cracks at the airport could mean repairs to 70,000 square metres of concrete surfaces on the taxiways and runways. The best and worst-case scenarios are being prepared, which could see very expensive repairs taking up to three years.

The survey will wrap up next Friday and only then could the team inform the public of its findings "proven by data and not by opinion", he added.

Sermsuk expressed his dismay at being fired after loyally working at the Post for over 20 years, saying he felt he was just doing his duty.

"You report on what you see and what is going on," he said.

He referred to the situation as "my nightmare" and hopes his lawsuit against the paper will be decided by the end of the year.

The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) also gave moral support to Sermsuk and another senior journalist dismissed by the Bangkok Post, Chadin Tephaval, and called on the newspaper's management to treat them fairly.

A Post Publishing statement issued earlier this week defended its move, insisting that it was based on the findings of an investigation committee that Sermsuk and Chadin had not performed their duties properly. The management statement denied the dismissals were the result of political pressure from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

The TJA said it was proud of the two reporters. "Our findings discovered that the decision to publish the story on runway cracks for the first time on August 6, 2005 was a joint newsroom decision, which meant the story was approved by people with responsibility and authority.

"We believe the two Bangkok Post senior reporters performed their duties professionally, and we would like to express support and admiration for their dedication to professional duty to serve the public interest."

The Nation

[sriracha john]

Ruts, cracks at airport termed dangerous

A leading foundation engineer and members of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's advisory team paid their first visit to Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, much to the surprise of the Airports of Thailand (AOT)'s investigative committee headed by Tortrakul Yomnak.

The premier was reportedly "very concerned" about the crisis at Suvarnabhumi and sent his own advisory team, led by General Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, to independently assess the growing number of problems being uncovered at Thailand's new airport.

A key member of the team, Dr Suraphol Chivarak, who is the country's leading expert in foundation engineering and airport surface design, showed his concern about the safety of Suvarnabhumi's airfield.

He told The Nation after investigating the ruts and cracks on the airport's taxi lanes yesterday that the condition looked "dangerous".

He expressed doubts that the AOT under the current leadership could solve the airport crisis by itself. He also questioned the independence of the AOT's investigation committee, headed by Tortrakul.

"You go back and watch TV [footage] of people [involved in the project] then and now, and you will probably see that the faces are all the same," Suraphol said.

While the spotlight of public attention is on the Tortrakul committee to produce its findings on the structural problems at the airport - originally promised for next Friday - Suraphol said he did not expect the Tortrakul committee to produce any significant findings that would lead to long-term solutions of the engineering problems at the airport.

Meanwhile, technical experts contacted by The Nation expressed similar views: to determine the root cause of the runway and taxi way ruts and cracks, it is perhaps better for the government to hire international experts to investigate the problems.

While they did not doubt the ability of Thai engineers, they seriously questioned their independence.

An aviation engineer told The Nation that it was hard to find any engineer in this country who did not have a history with the nearly five-decade project.

Krai Tangsa-nga, vice president of the Engineering Association of Thailand, agreed that a team of international experts should be contacted to assist with the investigation of the airport's problems.

"Perhaps we should ask the ICAO [international Civil Aviation Organisation] to send us somebody," Krai suggested. "They have the international credibility - and confidence in Suvarnabhumi is now an international issue."

Another member on the premier's advisory team, Dr Chalongphob Sussangkarn, president of the Thailand Development Research Institute and an adviser to Surayud, told The Nation that Government House had to step into the fact-finding process because the problem at Suvarnabhumi was a national crisis beyond the AOT.

"The solution may require a huge budget that has to be decided at the policy level," he said. "The prime minister is very concerned. We have to come here to assess the situation ourselves so that we can give him [surayud] the right advice."

Tortrakul, who held a press conference at Suvarnabhumi yesterday, was not aware of the existence nor the visit by the Government House team.

But after being informed about Suraphol's remark to The Nation, Tortrakul appeared disturbed.

"You can report about what he said to you, but you should ask other people in engineering circles and see what they say about Suraphol," Tortrakul said.

The investigation team chaired by Tortrakul, who is also a board member of the AOT, reported to the press yesterday about the findings from the first week of its two-week mission.

Contrary to the original promise to produce the final report next Friday, Tortrakul postponed the deadline to the following week - February 16 - citing "complications" of the bureaucratic system.

"But we'll still come up with the most we can and report next Friday [February 9]," he said.

His first week's finding, Tortrakul said, was that lab results from one area of cracks did not find "anything wrong" with the sand. This was contrary to his initial suspicion that the sand used to fill the swamp might have been of sub-standard quality.

But he said his six-member committee would need to collect more samples, possibly from more than a hundred problem areas, to come up with a definite finding about the sand quality.

The Nation

[charlesfrith]

Swampy Doom Airport it's affectionately known now is alleged to have a lakorn soap being written around the drama as we speak.

Swampy Doom. You heard it here first.

[charlesfrith]

Swampy Doom Airport it's affectionately known now is alleged to have a lakorn soap being written around the drama as we speak.

Swampy Doom. You heard it here first.

Pilots forum link. See the chatter.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.ph...426#post3108426

[sriracha john]

Those pilots come up with some interesting photos:

Swampy Doom, indeed.

[cclub75]

The last episode of the Great Thai Comedy : we will have indeed 2 international airports...

To remind you the previous episodes :

-We have cracks at Suva

-We need to send back "some" flights at Don Muang : domestic non connecting flights, and only on a volonteer basis.

-Oh, we have more cracks, repairs will take much more time

-Maybe more flights will have to return to DM

-official : "we will have 2 international airports"

Here are the next episodes :

-Well... Suva has too many cracks : we need to close it

-All the flights, domestic and international, will go to DM

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/06...es_30026114.php

[marshbags]

BREAKING NEWS

Quote:-

Don Muang move 'up to each airline'

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said that the government would allow airlines to decide themselves if they would return to Don Muang airport while Suvarnabhumi was repaired.

The minister said he did not expect many airlines to transfer their operations to the former aviation hub at Don Muang as the move would be voluntary.

As such, they would not be entitled to any compensation for relocation costs or potential loss of revenue during the transitional period. Mr Sansern made the announcement during a government-sponsored weekly radio programme broadcast on Saturday.

"It's voluntary, and airlines cannot seek any compensation from the government for relocation costs, which means there won't be many airlines going back to Don Muang," Mr Sansern said.

Unquote.

Please go to the following url. for the full article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=116716

It has been rumoured and in fact stated by my local travel agent that Thai Airways wanted to dump the majority of their domestic business, and in recent times they mentioned only 3:- Phuket, C.Mai and K.Khaen. that would qualify as Int. transfers ?????

We are talking about the National Carrier by the way on who MANY tourist are dependant for guaranteed

services, not the iffy budget airlines who because they are cheap are able to justify almost anything without taking the needs of the passengers on board.

O.K. if you want budget then just maybe they can do this.

( I still think they should be held accountable for certain logistical scenarios anyway. )

In my case re. Udon there are many connecting to Int. Flights so how will they ascertain what counts as what, or will they class ALL these other airports as domestic only ?

Ref. Nok Air in another article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=116692

How convenient that this scandal should afford them the perfect excuse to do so.

What about taking the safety, comfort and interests of passengers into account and all the hastle that will ensue should they be allowed to follow up on this proposal

At the present time as with all connecting international flights i use outside Thailand you are allowed baggage allowances within reason of the limits, both carry on and stow away and more important ALL scheduled flights are carried out and dependable with no cancellations. ( normally )

The fact that they are budget airlines, does this mean we will be charged for every lb. / kilo over the domestic allowances ?

Can they guarantee the flights will run as per schedule irrespective of how many passengers are on the flight.

Who will be accountable for the transfer between the airports, along with non cancellation of the flights for any other reasons they come up with at the present time and act as per IATA requirements with no get outs.

marshbags

P.S

I / We, can only hope when the dust settles the needs and safety of the passengers will be taken as the number one priority and dare i say it, common sense will be used for once.

I cannot help but wonder that a tragic accident is the horizon with dire consequences, i hope i am wrong.

[sriracha john]

UPDATE

Repairs get underway on the taxiways at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Nine of 51 airport bays have been closed due to the repair work, which should be completed next month.

The Nation

[kalaminsa]

Confident now that I see professionals are at work.

[sriracha john]

Confident now that I see professionals are at work.

:D

[Mid]

Labour Court to announce verdict in former Bangkok Post reporter case Tuesday

July 22, 2007 : Last updated 05:48 pm

The Central Labour Court has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday for reading out the verdict in a civil case where a Bangkok Post reporter demanded severance pay and compensation for his dismissal over an article about runway cracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The judges will rule on three disputes between plaintiff Sermsuk Kasitipradit and three defendants: Post Publishing, former editor David Armstrong and the board of the newspaper's provident fund.

The disputes are over whether Sermsuk's employment contract was terminated legally, whether Post Publishing and Armstrong committed torts against Sermsuk and whether Sermsuk was entitled to severance pay of more than Bt623,000.

The Nation

[captainstabbin]

Labour Court to announce verdict in former Bangkok Post reporter case Tuesday

July 22, 2007 : Last updated 05:48 pm

The Central Labour Court has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday for reading out the verdict in a civil case where a Bangkok Post reporter demanded severance pay and compensation for his dismissal over an article about runway cracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The judges will rule on three disputes between plaintiff Sermsuk Kasitipradit and three defendants: Post Publishing, former editor David Armstrong and the board of the newspaper's provident fund.

The disputes are over whether Sermsuk's employment contract was terminated legally, whether Post Publishing and Armstrong committed torts against Sermsuk and whether Sermsuk was entitled to severance pay of more than Bt623,000.

The Nation

The virdict was to reinstate, but does anyone know if this has actually happenend?

[Humphrey Bear]

The verdict was to reinstate, but does anyone know if this has actually happenend?

If re-instated - what will his job be? Covering the dog-racing track at Nakhon Nowhere?

The difficulties of laying roads on previously-drained swamps are very many.

To lay runways - with heavy, fast impact axle loads - is even worse. The quantities of sand and aggregates that I saw being placed; moved; replaced; moved again were enormous.

Don't know about any geotextiles and capillary-breaking measures - I was working on the Terminal, not the runways.

The original location for a major hub was poorly chosen, but then so very much of the area surrounding BKK is swampy - water table virtually at natural ground level - I would have chosen an area further from Krung Thep - but that would have meant a loss of convenience for passengers and airport personnel. Maybe a high-speed train link would have helped, in a more stable (inland) location.

Easy to be wise after the event.