Suvarnabhumi Airport Shuts Down

[Izanee 0]

that's why stupid Finnair...u should have flown to KUL and not struck us off without even starting flights!

 

Azman..sorry to hear about your troubles. Nice to see MH still cares for its customers. AK will and always be primarily a money orientated business... i guess low price comes at a cost

[Pieter C. 5]

Bangkok Airport To Resume Full Service Friday

 

December 4, 2008

Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok will resume full service from 11 am (0400 GMT) on Friday, the airport operator said on Thursday.

 

Airports of Thailand said it had invited international aviation officials to inspect the airport on Friday after an eight-day siege by anti-government protesters ended on Wednesday.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Concern Mounts At Thai Airport Security Lapses

 

December 5, 2008

As Thai authorities race to get Suvarnabhumi airport ready for full international operations, airline officials and diplomats fear major security concerns are being overlooked.

 

They say the ease with which a group of anti-government protesters took over Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports last week exposed fundamental security problems that need to be addressed.

 

But with the tourist-dependent Thai economy losing revenue as a result of the airport closures, stakeholders feel they are being pressured into restarting operations.

 

On Thursday, Bangkok-based ambassadors of some of Thailand's most important allies and trading partners issued a joint statement saying they were "seriously concerned" at the vulnerability to outside assaults of Suvarnabhumi and the mostly domestic Don Muang airports.

 

"[We] urge the government of Thailand to take all necessary measures to improve the protection and security of all Thai airports," said the statement, signed by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States.

 

Airline representatives in Thailand were highly critical of the response to the airport blockades, how the emergency was dealt with and efforts to restart operations.

 

None was willing to be identified. "We have to work here," said one.

 

"We are under enormous pressure to open -- from the airport authorities, from stranded passengers, from shareholders, from the tourist industry...," said one airline official. "But our genuine security concerns are being ignored."

 

Chief among those concerns are the security lapses that allowed a supposedly state-of-the-art, USD$4 billion airport, opened just two years ago, to be overrun in minutes by a few hundred protesters, even if some were armed with clubs and metal rods.

 

Airport security initially held back the protesters a few hundred metres (yards) from the terminal, but when pressed, they melted away.

 

Suvarnabhumi is a key regional hub handling hundreds of flights a day and over 150,000 passengers. Within minutes the airport was overrun and passengers watched -- some shocked, some initially bemused -- as the yellow-clad protesters coursed through the terminal.

 

"What if they were armed terrorists? What if this was India?" one airline official asked, referring to the attacks a day later by just 10 Islamic gunmen in Mumbai that killed 171 people.

 

Some Thailand watchers justified the lack of response as being typical of the country's delicate domestic political situation. The authorities couldn't, or wouldn't, use force against the protesters because of their perceived support from parts of the royal family.

 

Airport general manager Serirat Prasutanond, touring Suvarnabhumi on Wednesday after the protesters finally abandoned their siege, said "They did no damage. They love Thailand."

 

But such apparently flippant dismissals of security lapses only enrage those who insist on more professionalism.

 

"It is a joke," said one Singapore-based industry consultant. "If that happened here or in Kuala Lumpur, the protesters would have been shot. Whoever was responsible for security, they would have been shot next."

 

Airports of Thailand officials say Suvarnabhumi will be fully operational by Friday afternoon after the massive facility has been thoroughly "sanitized" by security experts.

 

But operators say it will take a lot more to convince them that security is as good as it should be.

 

"In the next few weeks we (foreign operators) are going to be getting together and making a stand," one industry insider said. "Things absolutely have to change."

 

"This situation cannot go on. If a major event takes place now, we will never be able to say we didn't see it coming, that we couldn't prepare."

 

(Reuters)

 

Bad for spotters ? ...

 

[BC Tam 2]

Bad for spotters ? ...

Heh heh, have you read Andi's most recent adventure over at obs hill, bki spotting v2 thread ?

[Pieter C. 5]

Heh heh, have you read Andi's most recent adventure over at obs hill, bki spotting v2 thread ?

 

Yep, how many mm required ?

 

Would be nice to include BKI again in our 2009-trip

[BC Tam 2]

Yep, how many mm required ?

 

Would be nice to include BKI again in our 2009-trip

More specifically, I was referring to his post #1449

Pieter, it would be equally nice for BKI to have your (and the better half's) presence here as well, any time !

[Pieter C. 5]

More specifically, I was referring to his post #1449

 

Adui !!! Hope this is an incident only....

why confiscate ? BKI is not a military airport, right ?

picture-taking of aircraft prohibited by law in Malaysia ?

[Pieter C. 5]

Thailand Begins Long Battle To Win Back Confidence

 

December 6, 2008

With glossy airline adverts, millions of baht earmarked for promotions and Miss Thailand posing for pictures with tourists, Thailand started work on Friday on a long battle to win back the confidence of tourists.

 

Officials signed off on systems checks at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after a week-long siege by anti-government protesters paralyzed Thailand's tourism industry in the middle of the peak season, stranding more than 230,000 travelers.

 

Transport minister Santi Prompat told reporters it was "business as usual" during a tour of Suvarnabhumi, Thailand's main international gateway, on Friday.

 

"The airport is ready and everything is safe. What happened is a lesson. Now we have to move quickly to bring back confidence," he said.

 

The airport shutdown has already cost the tourism- and export-dependent economy hundreds of millions of dollars, but authorities said there was no major damage to the airport itself.

 

Damage done to the image of the "Land of Smiles" is untold.

 

Government officials have been quick to say how badly the protesters hurt the economy. Finance Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech says there may be no growth at all in 2009, while Deputy Prime Minister Olarn Chaipravat said tourist arrivals could be halved in 2009.

 

But tourist authorities put on a brave face.

 

"We might lose about one million (tourists) but not more than that," Phornsiri Manoharn, governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, referring to a target of 15.5 million arrivals this year, a 7 percent rise from 2007.

 

"Most of our tourists are repeat travellers. I've talked to many of them. They said they will come back and they're not worried," she said.

 

Tourism directly employs 1.8 million people and brings in the equivalent of 6 percent of GDP to Thailand's coffers. The closure of the airport affected virtually all Thais.

 

"I never get on a plane, or anything, but once the airport resumes, I can make more money," said Winai Kratunam, a taxi driver, in front of a the USD$4 billion airport.

 

Serirat Prasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand, told reporters that the facility was now ready to be back to full capacity and that security should not be a concern.

 

"We test-run everything over and over," he said. "We'll see our first flight to the US tomorrow. If we're not safe enough, we couldn't do that."

 

Some 547 flights will fly to and from Suvarnabhumi on Friday, carrying at least 100,000 passengers, he said.

 

(Reuters)

 

[KC Sim 2]

The siege of Suvarnabhumi Airport has not been without casualties . . . below is a communication that came out from Phuket two days ago about a passenger boarding a Qantas relief flight from Phuket. I have now been told by others that there has been other casualties when people travelling overland to Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and even out of the country to regional airports met with road accidents and some have been fatal. This siege has exacted a very heavy toll on the people who least deserve it.

 

While I was very touched when the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand - Khun Pornsiri Manoharn was personally apologising to passengers leaving Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, I felt it is the PAD that should be there doing it. Having personally known Khun Pornsiri, I was not surprised by her fine gesture and three cheers to her and her team.

 

Thai Airways International's first flight back to SIN after the siege was operated by A330-300 HS-TED as TG403 yesterday (5 Dec).

 

KC Sim

 

 

A PASSENGER collapsed and died while trying to board an emergency relief flight at Phuket International Airport last night.

 

It is believed the passenger, a 71-year-old man from Australia, suffered a heart attack while waiting to take his seat on a special Qantas flight.

 

He was taken by ambulance to Thalang Hospital, where he died about midnight.

 

The man, reportedly suffering from chronic illness, had been forced to endure a 12-hour bus ride from Bangkok to make a connection with the special flight.

 

With the early departure from Bangkok and the waiting time for checking in for Flight QS6031, the diversion became an endurance test. The flight eventually took off at 2.45am.

 

Previously a Thai Airways passenger, the man was among thousands of tourists forced to seek alternative means to return home after anti-government protesters occupied Bangkok's two largest airports.

 

The protest lasted eight days, seriously damaged Thailand's worldwide reputation as a hospitable tourist destination and cost the country billions of baht.

 

It is believed Australian embassy officials who had already been posted to Phuket airport to assist passengers, took the man to hospital, where he died.

 

Phuket airport officials confirmed the circumstances of the man's death. Phuketwan has been given the man's name but is withholding it from publication until relatives in Australia have been notified.

 

While the Bangkok airports blockade has been lifted and flights are returning to normal now, a backlog of thousands of trapped tourists is still being dealt with.

 

Many passengers originally scheduled to fly out of Bangkok have been forced to divert to Phuket and other exit points.

 

Being trapped unwillingly in Thailand has led to increased stress. The discomfort of departing from a military air base near Bangkok or a long journey to alternative departure points, including Phuket, has many tourists saying they will never return.

[S V Choong 4]

While the Bangkok airports blockade has been lifted and flights are returning to normal now, a backlog of thousands of trapped tourists is still being dealt with.

They have not returned to "normal" now. Before the blockade, SQ and CX has up to 6 flights daily to Suvarnabhumi. After the blockade, SQ and CX are only sending 3-4 flights per day to BKK. It has damaged my original plans.

[BC Tam 2]

SV,

Seems your upcoming itinerary attracting a lot of hiccups, first Macau, now Bangkok

[S V Choong 4]

SV,

Seems your upcoming itinerary attracting a lot of hiccups, first Macau, now Bangkok

 

Yes a lot of hiccups lately. In the process of attempting to reroute to another destination - this time KIX. Will have to find out how much extra we have to fork out first.

 

BC, did you just return from BKK (if I didn't read it wrong?)

[BC Tam 2]

BC, did you just return from BKK (if I didn't read it wrong?)

Yes, we were there 20-25th last month

[Naim 6]

Glad that the situation has calmed down, albeit temporarily. All systems go for our CNX trip Dec 10-14.

[BC Tam 2]

Glad that the situation has calmed down, albeit temporarily

That sounds a tad ominous I understand the Thais have yet to appoint a government. Best of luck !

[Naim 6]

That sounds a tad ominous I understand the Thais have yet to appoint a government. Best of luck !

 

Thanks, BC, here's a good read ...

 

WORLD AFFAIRS

Thailand Slides Toward Civil War

 

The public siege of its airports may be over, but the country's political crisis is just heating up.

By George Wehrfritz and Jaimie Seaton | NEWSWEEK

 

Published Dec 6, 2008

From the magazine issue dated Dec 15, 2008

 

Last week, after Thailand's high court disbanded the country's ruling party and antigovernment demonstrators finally ended their weeklong occupation of Bangkok's two airports and their three-month siege of Government House, weary stranded travelers could have been forgiven for thinking that the political crisis was over. The estimated 350,000 foreigners who'd been trapped by the blockage have begun their journeys home. Yet for Thailand's citizens, its politicians, its business community and its foreign investors, nothing concrete has been resolved. Thailand remains a nation divided. Its beloved 81-year-old king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, is in decline and had to unexpectedly cancel his annual birthday speech last Thursday due to illness. King Bhumibol had never previously missed his birthday address, and his absence dashed hopes that he would use the occasion to help resolve the crisis. Instead, political extremism is now mounting, and a frightening new phrase has slipped into the political lexicon: civil war.

 

...

 

PLS CONTINUE READING HERE: http://www.newsweek.com/id/172612

[S V Choong 4]

Yes, we were there 20-25th last month

BC, glad you got home before the gate shut! Hope it wasn't stressful or a huge drama for you.

 

I am so over with Bangkok this time before I even go over. Flights are pretty full with CX (for my mum) and going elsewhere is impossible, so we will choose to relax a little in Singapore instead.

[BC Tam 2]

BC, glad you got home before the gate shut! Hope it wasn't stressful or a huge drama for you.

Heh, thanks for concern but as far as PAD protests were concerned, we were unscathed. Save for the brief preview on way to the airport, nothing dramatic crossed our path. Encounters with tuk-tuk drivers and my wife's unrelentless bargain hunts were more stressful in my humble opinion

[Keith T 2]

Thanks, BC, here's a good read ...

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. This is not about democracy - holding your own country hostage and others at the mercy of your own whims and ambitions is hardly democratic - more like mob rule. Clearly it's nothing more than a cynical attempt by the elites and royalists of the country to seize power from the masses and replace the system with appointed bureaucrats.

[BC Tam 2]

Interestingly, London Stanstead also similarly affected by protests, though to a much lesser degree than BKK

Could this be some paradigm shift in how civil/political protests are manifested in future ? Heck, why bother with hassle of hijacking a plane when capture of an airport could potentially bring a nation to its knees

[Pieter C. 5]

Interestingly, London Stanstead also similarly affected by protests, though to a much lesser degree than BKK

 

See seperate topic here @ General Aviation...

[S V Choong 4]

Off topic, but does anyone know the best method to get to BKK city from Suvarnabhumi airport to hotels?

 

Do they have trains like Airport Express in HKG? If I do take a taxi, do they run a coupon system like KLIA or do they run the meter system (Fingers crossed, I hope I won't get ripped off).

[BC Tam 2]

I think they're only constructing the airport express now - so that is one option crossed off the list !

Taxis are quite reasonable, but make sure they switch the meter on - no coupon system. I remember it cost us less BKK-hotel compared to hotel-PEN, though the journey seemed much further (face it, how far can one travel within Penang island !) - you have to pay the highway toll yourself though. In total about THB350 iirc

Whilst in taxi, be prepared for the many many (unsolicited) proposals - for guided tours, taxi transfers to eg. Chiangmai, Pattaya etc. Was even offered more 'exotic' tours if my wife wasn't around or was willing to turn a blind eye

Good fun chap !

[S V Choong 4]

I think they're only constructing the airport express now - so that is one option crossed off the list !

Taxis are quite reasonable, but make sure they switch the meter on - no coupon system. I remember it cost us less BKK-hotel compared to hotel-PEN, though the journey seemed much further (face it, how far can one travel within Penang island !) - you have to pay the highway toll yourself though. In total about THB350 iirc

Whilst in taxi, be prepared for the many many (unsolicited) proposals - for guided tours, taxi transfers to eg. Chiangmai, Pattaya etc. Was even offered more 'exotic' tours if my wife wasn't around or was willing to turn a blind eye

Good fun chap !

 

Thanks for the info. BC, I doubt I will be making any "exotic" tours as my mum will be there

[KK Lee 5]

Off topic, but does anyone know the best method to get to BKK city from Suvarnabhumi airport to hotels?

 

Do they have trains like Airport Express in HKG? If I do take a taxi, do they run a coupon system like KLIA or do they run the meter system (Fingers crossed, I hope I won't get ripped off).

 

There are buses (airbus) from the airport to popular hotels like on Sukhumvit. The fare was about THB150 early of the year. The bus stand is in front of the taxi rank and there is a counter with English speaking crew to assist.