Airports spruce up with major works to handle tourism surge

[webfact]

Airports spruce up with major works to handle tourism surge 
By SUCHAT SRITAMA 
THE NATION 

 

 

BANGKOK: -- AS AUTHORITIES anticipate 34 million foreign-tourist arrivals and 150 million domestic air travellers in 2017, major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang International, U-tapao Rayong-Pattaya International, Krabi International, Phuket International and Chiang Rai Mae Fah Luang International are undergoing renovation or expansion.

 

Meanwhile, there have been calls for some small airports upcountry such as in Roi-et, Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua Hin to be upgraded to international status in order to attract more foreign airlines and tourists. The Transport Ministry also plans a new airport in Yala province. 

 

Wandee Tiansawakit, a tourism expert and former president of |the Professional Tourist Guide Association in Buri Ram province, said businesses such as hotels and travel companies wanted the |government to make Buri Ram Airport an international facility|as well as adding a new cargo |terminal.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30303335

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-01-04

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

 

One minute it's reported they're no tourists while the next minute they're dealing with a flood of them.

[Saastrajaa]

Haha, since just about the only Buriram folks able to afford to fly are bar girls with ample-sized farang boyfriends, they better use cargo planes on the BKK-Buriram run...  But seriously...international?  What tourists are going to fly into that part of Isaan from another country?  And from which one?

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

A passport control system similar to Malaysia or Singapore's could speed up things allot. Waiting up to 2 hours for passport control is not a way to welcome tourists.  

[The man from udon]

TAT have worked it out.take away some of the scanners and immigration officers then there will be big ques at the airports and tourism will look like its bursting at the seams.

[Saastrajaa]

15 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

A passport control system similar to Malaysia or Singapore's could speed up things allot. Waiting up to 2 hours for passport control is not a way to welcome tourists.  

 

THIS ^^^^^^^  

 

They don't need to "spruce up" anything other than the efficiency of their immigration control system.  I entered Japan at Narita recently, and the number of travelers coming in was just astounding...yet the lines moved so efficiently and rapidly, it (like much of how Japan just "works") was a thing to behold.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Saastrajaa

[Sphere]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

...wanted the government to make Buri Ram Airport an international facility...

 

They better have two terminals - 1 for short-time flights and 1 for long-time flights. 

[Saastrajaa]

Just now, Sphere said:

 

They better have two terminals - 1 for short-time flights and 1 for long-time flights. 

 

[mikebell]

A new airport in Yala!  How many tourists will fly there?  Will they come to check out the drive-by shootings or the bombs?

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, The man from udon said:

TAT have worked it out.take away some of the scanners and immigration officers then there will be big ques at the airports and tourism will look like its bursting at the seams.

 

 

And at the same time add lots more flowers. Presentation over substance.

[MaxLee]

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

 

One minute it's reported they're no tourists while the next minute they're dealing with a flood of them.

 

They don't mention high season due to loss of face....... and cover up-asking for mercy 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Saastrajaa said:

 

THIS ^^^^^^^  

 

They don't need to "spruce up" anything other than the efficiency of their immigration control system.  I entered Japan at Narita recently, and the number of travelers coming in was just astounding...yet the lines moved so efficiently and rapidly, it (like much of how Japan just "works") was a thing to behold.

 

Shanghai airport in China the same. Many thousands of arrivals every hour but the numerous double sided passport lines move very quickly. In most cases join a line of 20 - 25 people and your through passport and on your way within 10 - 12 minutes. Plus baggage retrieval is quick and taxi / bus transport well organized and quick and friendly.

[licka]

2 hours ago, Saastrajaa said:

Haha, since just about the only Buriram folks able to afford to fly are bar girls with ample-sized farang boyfriends, they better use cargo planes on the BKK-Buriram run...  But seriously...international?  What tourists are going to fly into that part of Isaan from another country?  And from which one?

The farangs  coming to visit their true love would use it  to run away quick 

[Brer Fox]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

 

And at the same time add lots more flowers. Presentation over substance.

Similar mentality to my ex gf. She used to "clean" the house with a feather duster.

[ChakaKhan]

 

Anybody tried this way connecting to another flight after landing in BKK?

[SaintLouisBlues]

7 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

 

Anybody tried this way connecting to another flight after landing in BKK?

Don't you have to have been checked in for the international leg before you take the domestic flight (or v.v)? Your bags will be checked through and you should have got your boarding passes already?

[ChakaKhan]

Is kinda what im asking..i have NO checked bags--just my

carry on...i will come into BKK from shanghai..i was HOPING

to slip thru and do my immig-customs in CM on my domestic

flight.....as i assume i can print my boarding pass for domestic

 

Is there anyway to avoid that BKK immig mess if im going to CM

and do my check in there as im NOT leaving the airport in BKK

[sungod]

3 hours ago, mikebell said:

A new airport in Yala!  How many tourists will fly there?  Will they come to check out the drive-by shootings or the bombs?

 

Strange not to see Hat Yai on the map which serves most of the south, already an 'international' airport.

[chuang]

Strange nothing mentioned about Chiangmai airports.....just look at the state of this airport...

[wakeupplease]

4 hours ago, Sphere said:

 

They better have two terminals - 1 for short-time flights and 1 for long-time flights. 

I think 3 terminals are needed. 1 for the invisible tourist

[buick]

i fly from dmk to buriram twice a month on air asia.  i'm always amazed at how full the airplane is.  and it isn't full of bar girls.  believe me, i wish it was !!  but i can't see a need for international.  i hope it stays the way it is.  what a great airport, no waiting, no lines, etc...

[NCC1701A]

why not convert every airport, military air base, landing strip and helipad in Thailand to a international airport .

 

that way they can be ready for the 100,000 million gazillion tourist that will be visiting each year by 2020.

 

and all the newly unemployed mini van drivers can become air traffic controllers.