Official Opening Of Suvarnabhumi Airport Delayed Six More Months

[george]

Official opening of Suvarnabhumi airport delayed six more months

BANGKOK: -- The Thai capital's new airport, Suvarnabhumi, is open for business, but it's not official yet.

The official opening of Suvarnabhumi airport will be delayed by at least six months due to persisting problems including safety and noise problems now plaguing at the airport located in Bangkok's neighbouring province of Samut Prakan, a senior official said Saturday.

Air Force head Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukbhasuk, also chairman of the committee organising the opening of the new airport, said after a committee meeting Friday that two major issues were raised during a meeting following complaints lodged by airport staff of sexual harassment and people living near the airport who were affected by noise problem.

Female staff at the airport, especially those working at night, have recently complained that they have been sexually harassed by construction workers.

Civil Aviation Department chief Chaisak Angkasuwan has suggested earlier that as an immediate solution to the noise problem, pilots would be asked to adjust flying techniques when approaching the airport for landing.

Flight frequency would also be better distributed to both runways to reduce noise impact in local areas.

Stressing that the problems must be totally solved before the official opening which will be presided over by His Majesty the King, ACM Chalit said the official opening may be delayed for another six months.

The Airports of Thailand has been asked to solve the problems before next June, when officials of the International Civil Aviation Organization are due to inspect the airport before issuing an ICAO certificate.

--TNA 2006-11-18

[Buckwheat]

Thailand...The Hub of Openings

[Ricardo]

With luck, six months should be sufficient to permit the completion of construction, and repair of the taxi-ways.

Or am I optimistic ?

Let's hope this thread is seen by all those who 'knocked' members warning of early problems. If the people in charge now forsee needing 8 months from the real opening, before it is really ready to run, then surely they are confirming our original warnings, no ?

[sriracha john]

It's a shame Thaksin pushed so hard and so willy-nilly for the obviously premature opening and it's a shame that because of that, the gala opening is likely to occur so much later than had originally been hoped for. It would have been a terrific birthday gift. Just add another item on the Thaksin Blunder List.

[MiG16]

Im a bit curious how none of you business savvy people ever bring up the question of what the cost would be of NOT opening the airport soon enough? huge amount of money sunk into an investment that cannot start to yield any payoffs for years???

werent the airports in singapore and hongkong also not in perfect shape when they first opened? so was malaysia? they also only finished their fast speed train connecting airport to city atleast a couple years after the airport first came to use. but then again i could be wrong.

by the way Ive used the airport 3 times since it opened...2 arrivals and 1 departure. didnt have any problem

not saying there are no faults BUT am hoping to hear some constructive suggestions on alternatives?

by the way...just came back from Manila. not even gonna start about the airport there

[sriracha john]

Airport ceremony delayed for months

The official opening ceremony for Suvarnabhumi Airport will be delayed by at least six months due to persistent problems with safety and noise, Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukbhasuk said yesterday.

Chalit, chairman of the organising committee for the celebration, said after a committee meeting on Friday that two major issues were involved in the delay.

Security has become a hot topic following complaints from female airport staff of sexual harassment, and noise pollution continues to affect nearby residents.

Noise could be solved by adjusting flying techniques on approach and takeoff, he added.

With these problems still to be solved, the airport is not ready for an official opening for another six months, in a ceremony to be presided over by His Majesty the King. All problems must be solved before then, he said.

The committee meeting also instructed Airports of Thailand to improve security ahead of next June. That is when International Civil Aviation Organisation officials are due to inspect the airport ahead of issuing ICAO certification.

Friday's meeting was the committee's ninth and final get-together, Chalit said, adding that he would make a public announcement of problems encountered by the airport during its first 51 days of operation.

Meanwhile, national police deputy commissioner Isaraphan Sanitwong na Ayutthaya urged female staff to file complaints so legal action could proceed over claims of sexual harassment.

He said rumours of deaths and people going missing from the airport were untrue.

- The Nation

[britmaveric]

Open but not open, just proves a point it WASNT READY TO OPEN!!!!

[sriracha john]

Airport not fit to open 'officially' for six months

Committee says Suvarnabhumi still has far too many issues involving safety and noise

A panel overseeing the opening of Suvarnabhumi airport has found the facility unfit for an official opening, recommending it be put off for six months. Chalit Phukphasuk, the committee chairman and air force chief, said safety and noise prompted the panel to urge delaying the airport's inauguration, which was expected this month. ''There is a load of problems to be fixed. The airport will not be ready for the official opening for six months,'' he said. ''Since His Majesty the King will preside over the opening, it is imperative that everything is ready.'' Suvarnabhumi airport's modern and stylish design has been eclipsed by problems since the Sept 28 opening to commercial flights, he said. Long waits for luggage, hold-ups at check-in counters, roof leaks and inadequate toilets highlighted the early days of operations. Weeks later, uneven and cracked taxiways and parking bays were found at the airport. Current issues include sexual harassment of female staff by men who work for outside contractors and noise pollution. The airport's plan to close one of its two runways for four hours every night is raising suspicion it has something to do with cracks on aircraft taxiways and parking bays. He said Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), which manages the airport, has also been told to improve safety measures before the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) inspects the airport in June next year. The airport requires an aerodrome certificate from ICAO to permanently operate. It currently has an interim certificate from the Aviation Department. Suvarnabhumi airport, a much-touted project of the deposed Thaksin administration , is plagued with corruption scandals being investigated by the Assets Scrutiny Committee. Other alleged irregularities involve selection of duty-free shops and food stalls, bids for trolley procurement and the construction of car park buildings. Issarapan Sanitwong na Ayudhya, national deputy police chief, yesterday said sexual harassment at the facility had been confirmed.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Nov2006_news01.php

[Rajah]

... the gala opening is likely to occur so much later than had originally been hoped for.

Maybe they wait with the opening gala until Thaksin's return to Thailand