BuffHello Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 September 28, 2005 Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flies into Bangkok's new international airport on Thursday and into a storm of criticism about flawed planning, construction delays and allegations of corruption. Thaksin's test flight -- with VIPs and reporters in tow -- is part of a carefully-staged "soft opening" of the futuristic multi billion Suvarnabhumi Airport, touted as Bangkok's answer to rival world-class airports in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Thaksin, his cabinet and guests will land at 9:19 a.m. (0219 GMT) on Thursday -- a most auspicious moment in astrologically-keen Buddhist Thailand. "I am very confident that we will become the aviation hub" of Southeast Asia, Thaksin told reporters this week. But airline industry officials have serious questions about Suvarnabhumi before it opens in 2006 -- the government says June but experts say December is more likely -- with a capacity to handle 45 million passengers a year. They point to potential problems in baggage handling and passenger screening that could delay travellers and a lack of space for retailers, a key source of revenue at other airports. "We're putting up red flags. We're saying we need to meet. We need to discuss these things," said David Inglis, a senior official of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airline industry trade group. "We feel there are a lot of deficiencies to be addressed before the airport opens," he said. Suvarnabhumi, Thai for "golden land" and built on a swamp 25 km (15 miles) east of the sprawling capital, is due to replace Bangkok's ageing Don Muang Airport and its congested single runway. Covering 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) and boasting the world's tallest control tower, Suvarnabhumi and its two runways -- a third is planned -- will be the largest of its kind in Asia. IATA estimates the cost of the new airport at USD$5.6 billion. With Thailand luring more than 10 million tourists a year and the number expected to rise despite the impact of last December's tsunami, most experts agree Don Muang's time had come. But controversy has dogged the new airport, including allegations of corruption involving the purchase of 26 expensive bomb-sniffing scanners. The government has denied any wrongdoing. Inglis said IATA was pressing for operational changes at Suvarnabhumi, which he said could rival Singapore's Changi and Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok, both among the best in the world. But he said IATA had been unable to meet officials to highlight the industry's concerns. "It's unusual. We're assuming they want to build a world-class airport and we want to help them," he said. Somchai Sawasdeepon, senior executive vice president of Airports of Thailand, said he had met the airlines several times. "The airport has nearly been completed and all airlines have got their place. So there is no need to meet now," he said. Among IATA's concerns are that the 26 baggage scanners will not be able to handle all the luggage as planned. "Most flights will be delayed due to late arrival of baggage," Inglis said. Passengers could also face long delays at the many checkpoints which IATA says could be streamlined without sacrificing security. The airport's 51 gates, only five earmarked for the new superjumbo Airbus A380, will not be enough to handle the increased traffic, Inglis said. He also worried about the lack of retail space at Suvarnabhumi, which is 50 percent less than Changi. Shops and restaurants are key revenue earners for airports and reduce their reliance on landing fees charged to airlines at a time when the industry is losing billions of dollars. Many operators, already fuming at the fees charged at Don Muang, fear they will have to carry Suvarnabhumi's hefty bills. "Who is going to pay for this airport?," Brian Sinclair-Thompson, who heads an association of airlines operating in Thailand, told the Foreign Correspondents Club on Wednesday. "The authorities here see the airlines as the cash cow to fund this monstrosity," he said, complaining that his members often learn details about the airport's operations through the press despite repeated requests to airport authorities. "We are a sick industry and any increase in charges we face will be passed onto the consumer," he said. (Reuters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegasdave49 Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 And we expected anything to be different. It will probably take years for it to ever get its act together. TIT and thats all there is to it. Basicly it is another example of why I like the place so much. It is just this kind of mindset that will prevent it from ever becoming more than a quaint, tourist destination. And as far as I am concerned thats just fine. Would hate to see it become some sort of effcient cold asian corporate entity. I prefer the backwater style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 dave...do u think it is appropriate for passengers to have to pay a premium for "backwater" style facilities? HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 Hugh_Hoy said:dave...do u think it is appropriate for passengers to have to pay a premium for "backwater" style facilities? HH Come on Hugh you know how it works. Falang pay the premium and the poor people of Isaan reap the benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultras67 Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 You missed the best bits! "The government had scheduled to open the airport for full commercial operations yesterday but decided to postpone the opening date as it could not finish the construction work in time. .... When asked by a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reporter what the purpose of yesterday's exercise was, as the airport was still a long way from being completed, Mr Thaksin appeared a little upset. ``I don't expect this kind of question from the BBC. But I will explain, anyway. We needed to set a date so that the work could be finished as soon as possible. ``If we didn't set a date, the schedule would slip further behind and this would have cost the country more ... We set today so that everyone had a goal, so that they could work actively,'' he added. " from http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Sep2005_news02.php and the best bit of all "Somchai Swasdiphol, the deputy managing director of the new airport, said the trees and bushes around the airport were being cut down to deprive migratory birds of food and shelter. ``The problems of cobras, water monitor lizards and rats is being resolved by nature itself as we have more than 30,000 workers building the airport. They catch and eat all the cobras and lizards,'' he said. " http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Sep2005_news18.php Thats the workers lunches sorted out! Yummy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 << ``I don't expect this kind of question from the BBC... " >> So what sort of question did he expect, "You buy me cola?" p.s. Guess what reporter is not going to have his visa renewed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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