Stories tagged with airport
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Spectacular Bangkok rail link nearly complete
Good news for those who plane to visit Thailand at the end of the year. Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has just announced that the Airport Link is nearly finished and will be ready to carry passengers into the city in December.
This will make a big difference to the way in which travelers arrive in the capital city of Bangkok. Rather than traveling through traffic jams, the Airport Link will glide passengers above the traffic, covering the distance between Suvarnabhumi airport and the city in a matter of minutes.
According to a recent report by the Bangkok Post, the Airport Link has cost a total of 26 million baht and is now 98 per cent complete. Although completion had been delayed for some time, Transport Minister Sophon Zaram ordered the State Railway of Thailand to pull out all the stops to ensure that the project would be completed before the end of the year, as was originally planned.
December will be an excellent time to visit Thailand as the weather is much cooler and drier than much of the year, while remaining hot enough to allow tourists to soak up the sun on the beach.
Posted by: Andrew on 07 Aug 2009, 09:00 -
Singing against swine flu in Phuket
If you’ve recently touched down at Phuket airport you may have noticed airport workers scrubbing the building and singing while they work.
Staff at Phuket International Airport took part in a Big Clean Day recently, scrubbing down all areas that could be possible transmission sites for the A(H1N1) virus.
Staff were encouraged to sing “Happy Birthday” while they washed their hands as it takes about 20 seconds to sing – the amount of time needed to ensure all germs are neutralized.
In an interview with the Phuket Gazette Airports of Thailand (AOT) chairman Piyaphan Champasut commented that: “We’re cleaning and repairing the airport because it’s been in use for a long time. We want to make it a clean, attractive and welcoming environment for tourists. And as swine flu spreads during 2009, passengers will trust in the standards of hygiene here.”
Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) officers have visited the airport to drill staff members on the correct cleaning and health procedures necessary in order to make sure that the airport stays virus-free.
So visitors to Phuket can be sure that the airport not only looks clean but is free from germs and viruses.
Posted by: Andrew on 03 Jul 2009, 09:00 -
Phuket’s new train of thought
Residents are holding their breath as they wait to see whether Phuket will be granted a light-rail service soon. The railways, which is proposed to connect Phuket International Airport, Patong, Chalong Circle and Phuket City would make a huge difference to island life and to tourism on the island.
Unless you have your own car, getting around Phuket – which is Thailand’s largest island – is pretty tough. As Governor Wichai commented to Phuket Net “Phuket would be glad to invest in a light rail system around Phuket island. This is one of the solutions to traffic problems in Phuket. We would like to support this project.”
The plan for the new railway was presented by Dr Allina Salima of Jade Trust Fund International at Phuket Provincial Hall on April 30. Phuket’s governing officers are now considering the proposal, which is set to include a total of three lines, costing as much as a staggering 13 billion baht. The decision should be announced at the end of May.
Posted by: Andrew on 06 May 2009, 12:00 -
Arrested thieves make police lose face
You’ve got to feel sorry for the Thai police. What should have been a moment of triumph was quickly turned into humiliation when they arrested two thieves in Suvarnabhumi airport recently.
Two Algerian men, Mohammi Zodeezee, 23, and Ben Maiza Hazen, 35, were arrested after flying from Koh Samui to the airport in Bangkok. Police had been tracking the pair after reports that they broke into hotel rooms in Koh Samui and stole the credit cards and belongings of more than 30 unlucky tourists.
However, as the Koh Samui News website reports, the heads of the tourist police were forced to admit in a press statement that Mr. Zodeezee and Mr. Hazen had used fake passports to travel to Thailand and had remained undetected for nearly two years as they traveled between tourist destinations such as Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya.
It is unknown how the pair managed to get past Immigration departments during their many journeys. The thieves were apprehended with a large stack of goods, including three computer notebooks, seven digital cameras, one video camera, five mobile phones, three iPods and three MP3 players. If only their fake passports had of been spotted when they first arrived in Thailand, their crimes would have been prevented.
Posted by: Andrew on 04 May 2009, 09:00 -
Keep your cool in Thailand
Many visitors to Thailand praise the Thai people on their gentle nature and polite behavior. However, one tourist learnt the hard way that lack of politeness can come at a high cost.
Simon Burrowes was passing through Phuket International Airport when officials from the Immigration Police accused him of having a fake passport. This stressful situation became worse when Burrowes, angry because the police seemed to be laughing at him, lost his temper.
Unimpressed by the tourist’s manners, the police arrested Burrowes arrested and he spent the next three weeks in Phuket Provincial Prison. He wisely pleaded guilty when he finally appeared in court and was fined 500 baht.
Burrowes is quoted as saying; “If I had pled not guilty, this could have gone on for awhile and I could have got anything up to three years, so I decided to stop fighting. I was forced to plead guilty,” Phuket Gazette.
Although he admits to enjoying most of his time in Thailand, Burrowes doesn’t plan to return; “I doubt I will ever come back. Thailand is not a bad place, but I have had an awful experience here,” he said.
Posted by: Andrew on 02 May 2009, 09:06 -
Landing fees cut further at Phuket airport
Six airports operated by Airports of Thailand (AOT) will see a further reduction in landing fees, including Phuket International Airport (PIA).
In a move to assist airlines that are struggling due to the global economic downturn, the decline in passenger numbers and continued political strife in Thailand, landing fees will be cut by 30 per cent.
Airline parking fees will be waived for aircraft that are on the tarmac for less than 24 hours at a time, as was earlier indicated by AOT.
PIA passenger arrivals for the first quarter of 2009 are down by 18.7 per cent when compared with the same period last year. In the months of January to March 2008, the airport handled 865,837 passengers, while this year the number fell to 704,124.
AOT earlier reduced landing fees by 20 per cent, following the closing of Bangkok’s airports by anti-government “yellow-shirt” protesters late last year.
Renewed demonstrations and street violence, led by “red-shirt” protesters in Bangkok last month, and the forced cancellation of the ASEAN meetings in Pattaya, have made it necessary for AOT to act once again.
The reduced fees will be in effect from 1 May through 31 December of this year.
Piyaphan Champasut, the AOT chairman, said the fee reductions would cost the operator 450 million baht, but stressed that "AOT has to put Thailand first.”
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Apr 2009, 14:50 -
Thailand airports prepare for swine flu
Thailand has introduced measures aimed at preventing the spread of the swine flu virus that include the installation of new thermal scanners at the country’s main airports, as fears of a global pandemic mount.
Three thermal scanners are now in use at Suvarnabhumi airport, and the devices have also been installed at the Chiang Mai and Phuket airports. The purpose of the scanners is to detect any elevation in the body temperatures of arriving passengers.
The new H1N1 virus is believed to have originated in Mexico, and has spread to the US, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain - and possibly to Australia – so far.
Health officials report that more than 150 people have died in Mexico as a result of the virus. The number of suspected cases of the disease has risen to more than 1,600 in Mexico, at least 20 in the US, six in Canada, three in New Zealand, two in Scotland and one in Spain.
Thailand Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai confirmed that his ministry was collaborating with Airports of Thailand (AOT) to monitor all arriving passengers having flu-like symptoms.
"The suspected cases will be put under close surveillance for three to five days during their stay in Thailand," the Bangkok Post quoted the minister as saying.
A swine flu expert, Roongroje Thanawongnuwech, who is a member of the veterinary science faculty at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, commented that the major concern about the virus being introduced into Thailand comes from airline passengers arriving from overseas.
"The most important measure is to strictly monitor those coming from countries affected by the disease by plane," he said on a Thai radio programme.
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Apr 2009, 14:48 -
Emirates to introduce A380 service to Bangkok
Not long after Emirates successfully launched service on the A380 super-jumbo to Sydney and Auckland, it has announced its intention to introduce the service on its Dubai to Bangkok route, beginning 1 June.
The timing of the launch coincides with the efforts of the Thai government to boost tourism, an important contributor to the country’s economy, which saw a significant decline following the closing of Suvarnabhumi airport late last year by anti-government protesters.
Richard Vaughan, the senior vice president for East Asia and Australasia commercial operations at Emirates, noted in comments appearing in The Nation: “Thailand is pulling out all the stops to revitalise inbound tourism. Its travel and tourism industry fully intends to get back to business with excellent deals, publicity campaigns, and marketing support to trade partners. Emirates will join forces with the government to put the country back on the list of leading Asian destinations for international tourism.”
Vaughan went on to say: “The introduction of the A380 on the Dubai-Bangkok-Dubai route will boost available capacity by 30 % and contribute to increasing tourist arrivals from Dubai and the larger Middle East - already an attractive inbound market for Thailand with steady year-on-year growth.”
The Emirates service will be the first to operate the Airbus A380 on a Bangkok route.
Posted by: Andrew on 21 Mar 2009, 07:22 -
Thai Airways moving all operations to Suvarnabhumi airport
Executives at Thai Airways have confirmed that the flagship carrier will shut down operations at the old Don Mueang airport in Bangkok before the end of the month.
Chokchai Panyayong, vice-president for Suvarnabhumi operations at Thai Airways, was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying that the airline's position was to move all of its domestic operations to Suvarnabhumi airport, where its international services are based.
Operations at Don Mueang will cease on 28 March.
The Thai Airways executive reported that consolidating operations will save the carrier as much as 220 million baht annually in costs and an additional 100 million baht in overtime payments to staff.
He added that passengers would benefit from the move as well, in that the number of flights available at Suvarnabhumi would increase; and that the airline would have more flexibility in assigning aircraft to flights, in line with passenger demand.
Thailand’s transport minister, Sohpon Zarum, commented that the airline ending services at Don Mueang was separate from the ministry’s policy of having only one Bangkok airport.
The Thai Airways decision is seen as critical in positioning Suvarnabhumi as the region’s aviation hub, however, the minister said.
Posted by: Andrew on 14 Mar 2009, 07:42 -
Gangs stealing from Bangkok airport passenger luggage
Thailand’s tourist police at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok believe that there are gangs of thieves stealing from the luggage of departing passengers.
“I believe there is more than one gang operating at the airport,” said Chief Adis Ngamchitsuksri, of the tourist police, in comments appearing in the Bangkok Post.
Two men were arrested on 26 February, suspected of stealing items from the luggage of Qatari passenger Mohammed Umar. He left from the Bangkok airport on 11 February and when he arrived home found that the lock on his bag had been broken and a gold ring and mobile phone were missing.
Police said they thought the theft occurred between the time the passenger checked-in for his flight and the bag being loaded on the plane. Umar was alerted that his designer phone was being used, as it was equipped with a feature that allows the phone to be tracked even if another SIM card is being used.
The suspects were tracked by the use of the new phone number, and police learned that the ring and the phone had been sold to shops in the greater Bangkok area.
According to police, the men who were arrested worked as contract baggage handlers at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Posted by: Andrew on 11 Mar 2009, 14:05 -
Standards at Utapao Airport to be upgraded
The facilities at Utapao Airport will be upgraded so that the airport, in Rayong province, close to Pattaya, will be able to handle up to 1,200 passengers each day. Currently, the airport, which handled flights when Bangkok airports were closed by demonstrators late last year, has a capacity of only 400 passengers.
Captain Siripong Sukkasem, deputy director of the airport, spoke about the improvements when the Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter held their monthly meeting in Pattaya last month.
“We are developing this airport to help rebuild confidence for tourists after our two international airports had to temporarily close,” the airport executive said.
Tens of thousands of foreign tourists were stranded during the airport seizure in late 2008, and many were eventually sent to Utapao airport, where numerous airlines offered limited emergency services. The influx of thousands of passengers overwhelmed the facilities at Utapao, and caused considerable delays and frustration for those attempting to board outbound flights.
Upgrades to the airport will meet international standards, and the terminal will be renovated and redecorated.
A new marketing plan includes a name change for the airport to Utapao International Airport Pattaya, which is still subject to approval. Captain Siripong added that accommodation and tourist information services would be available as well.
Posted by: Andrew on 04 Mar 2009, 08:51 -
Phuket’s airport may be expanded
Local and national officials are meeting with Phuket’s airport authorities to discuss the ongoing environmental impact assessment for the planned expansion of the airport. The development will cost around five billion baht, and is expected to begin in 2010 with a completion date slated for 2014.
The expansion will increase Phuket International Airport’s passenger capacity to 12.5 million people per year. The development has been divided into four parts. Phase one will build a new parking area for planes, double the number of taxi lanes from four to eight, and expand existing aircraft maintenance and refueling bays.
Part two involves designing and building a new 52,000 square metre international terminal that will be capable of handling five million passengers annually. The airport’s existing terminal will be turned into a domestic terminal that can handle 7.5 million passengers yearly.
Part three is the building of a multi-purpose facility, and part four will construct new access roads, water supply systems, and waste collection systems. Nitcharee Promwisuttipon, the project manager of Bangkok-based SEATEC Consulting Engineers, said the three-month study will be finished by the end of March.
The EIA study looks at things like air and water quality, aquatic ecology, sound levels, waste management, land use, and transport issues. The potential effects on the local community is also studied.
Posted by: Andrew on 21 Feb 2009, 11:00 -
Train link from Bangkok to airport coming
In a tremendous sign of useful infrastructure development, the city of Bangkok is nearly ready to open the first leg of its airport link from the capital to the far-flung site of its new international airport, Suvarnabhumi. The first leg of this extremely useful transport link will run from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the Makkasan and Phaya Thai areas of downtown Bangkok.
The Airport Link, as it’s known, is slated to begin operations on 12 August in time for the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, according to deputy Transport Minister Sopon Zarum. Although some of the facilities such as the baggage carousel will not be ready on the opening day, at least the train will be running.
Travellers with heavy baggage will have to deal with the inconvenience, but Sopon insisted it was necessary to get the link open as soon as possible. The Airport Link is a 28-kilometre route, and is 96 per cent complete to date. Delays have hampered the completion of the rail route due to difficulties acquiring some pieces of land, and a few problems at some of the stations, said SRT deputy governor Prasert Attanan.
The fare will be 150 baht for those who take a non-stop train, and just 15 to 45 baht for those passengers willing to stop at every station along the way.
Posted by: Andrew on 20 Feb 2009, 10:30 -
Thailand reduces landing fees at airports
In an attempt to encourage most tourism to return to Thailand, the Airports of Thailand (AoT) has decided to reduce the landing and parking fees paid by airlines who use their airports by 20 per cent. It is expected that the airlines will pass on the savings to their customers, thereby encouraging more foreigners to fly to Thailand.
Thailand’s tourism industry is trying everything it can think of to lure back visitors after the disastrous end of 2008. Relentless protesting in the capital Bangkok, and the 8-day seizure of Bangkok’s two major airports in November by anti-government protestors virtually destroyed Thailand tourism this winter high season.
The state-run AoT is in charge of six airports in Thailand. They will run the fee reduction program from the first of February until the end of September at least. AoT will lose around 400 million baht in fees, but they are willing to sacrifice to help bring tourism back to Thailand.
This is just one facet of the government’s new plan to boost tourism in the kingdom and restore foreign confidence. That will take a fair bit of work as the damage done to Thailand reputation was substantial. Tourism makes up six per cent of Thailand’s GDP, so it’s vital that the government and private sector come up with some plan that will be effective.
Posted by: Andrew on 03 Feb 2009, 19:08 -
U-Tapao Airport to get an upgrade
It appears that at least one institute will benefit from the 8-day protest takeover of Bangkok’s two airports last month. U-Tapao Airport, which served as the gateway for thousands of stranded tourists during the Bangkok airport crisis, is set to be upgraded to international airport standards.
The Royal Thai Navy, along with cash from Pattaya City, has announced they will upgrade the facilities at the small, virtually unused airport near Pattaya. The new airport will be called Utapao-Pattaya International Airport, and will service destinations such as Pattaya and other towns along Thailand’s eastern coast.
The small airport outside of Pattaya performed well enough during the emergency crisis to warrant a new lease on life. Pattaya Mayor Itthipol Khunplome confirmed that his city was prepared to work completely with the Navy to develop the airport. The terminal at U-Tapao will be expanded to support 400 passengers, up from 150, and will be capable of handling 50 large planes.
Mayor Itthipol said that the U-Tapao Airport has the advantage of being close to several tourist destinations in the eastern region of the country. He said “if it can be modified to international standard then it will boost the region’s economy. Pattaya City is ready to support upgrading work but this matter still needs further consultation before the plan can be submitted for Cabinet approval.”
Posted by: Andrew on 31 Dec 2008, 11:47 -
Airport protest ends, flights to resume soon
The siege of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports came to a close Wednesday morning as protesters agreed to go home and end their actions, following the removal of the Prime Minister from his post. Organisers of the week long protest, which has created havoc for tourists, said their objective of forcing the present government out had been achieved and that they would allow the airport to resume services.
However, more than 200,000 stranded passengers will have to wait several more days to get home, as airport authorities warned that it could take a week or more to re-commission the airport for safe and efficient use. Cargo flights have resumed and the airport will begin accepting in-bound flights from today, although it is unclear whether it will be able to process in-bound tourists immediately. Travellers are advised to contact their airlines for immediate details.
A court ruling on Tuesday effectively ended the ruinous standoff when the ruling coalition party and two of its partners were found guilty of vote fraud in the December 2007 election, effectively disbanding them and forcing the Prime Minister to resign, along with his cabinet. The protesters had seized the airport in a desperate attempt to force them out, following months of action against a government which they described as a 'proxy of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra'.
Meanwhile, flights have been taking off from Pattaya's U-Tapao airport, Chiang Mai and Phuket to help get tourists home. Inbound tourists have been arriving via these airports and Kuala Lumpur, traveling overland to reach destinations in the Kingdom. Cancellations have been numerous, putting enormous pressure on the tourist sector ahead of its depressed 2009 season.
With the court ruling and subsequent protest end, the political tension is likely to fade, with no adverse reaction reported as yet to the ruling from a pro-government protest group. The threat of clashes on the streets, or military intervention has now greatly diminished, along with risks to the personal safety of travellers.
The saga has been devastating to the travel industry, and various groups are working hard to retain or attract tourists, offering accommodation vouchers, free medical attention at hospitals and trying to demonstrate that despite the negative publicity and inconvenience, Thailand remains safe, friendly and hospitable in all its main tourist areas.
Posted by: Andrew on 03 Dec 2008, 07:25 -
Suvarnabhumi likely to be closed 7 more days, but other airports busy
Suvarnabhumi is unlikely to reopen for another seven days, even if the protesters leave on Wednesday following a court ruling to disband several parties in the ruling coalition. According to an Airports of Thailand (AOT) official, a week will be need for safety inspections, clean up and to bring systems back online.
There may be an end in sight to the damaging protest that has closed both of Bangkok's main airports for a week, following a ruling that forces the Prime Minister and 11 of his cabinet to resign. They are all executive members of the three parties that were unanimously found guilty of vote fraud in the December 2007 election, and are now banned from politics for five years.
However, it is unclear whether the government will resign and dissolve the House, or simply appoint a new Prime Minister to form Thailand's third cabinet in four months. Should the ruling coalition try to continue by forming new parties from their surviving MPs, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has vowed it will stay put at the airport.
With 300,000 travellers now stranded in Bangkok, and the tourist industry devastated by cancellations, pressure is mounting for all parties to back off and save the country's economy. But the ruling coalition has indicated it might insist on carrying on to make a point, and now bow to mob rule.
Bewildered tourists understand little of the political standoff that has ruined their Thailand holidays, the situation has reached a critical point as the country finds itself divided for and against the present government which is largely seen as a proxy for fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is trying to repeal corruption rulings against himself.
Meanwhile an increasing number of flights have now been departing from Pattaya's U-Tapao airport nearby, as well as Chiang Mai and Phuket, which have international terminals. Several local carriers have announced extra services, locally and internationally from these airports.
Posted by: Andrew on 02 Dec 2008, 17:02 -
Court ruling may end airport seizure
The Constitutional Court in Bangkok ruled Tuesday afternoon to dissolve three key parties in the ruling coalition, which may clear the way to end the political standoff that has seen anti-government protesters occupy Bangkok's two main airports. The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have said they will only leave once the government goes.
The People's Power Party, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya Parties were all found guilty, unanimously by the nine judges, of vote buying in the December 2007 election and will have to disband under a tough new election law that bans executives of those parties from politics for five years. However, it does not mean the government must resign, since only 11 of the ministers, along with the Prime Minister must vacate their positions.
The PAD have however said they will only end their destructive protest if the entire cabinet goes. Their objective has, from the start, been to unseat any government that is seen as a proxy of exiled fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. There have been increasing calls for the House to be dissolved to end the deadlock, but the coalition has insisted on hanging on to 'protect their democratically elected position'.
An end to the standoff might not be in sight if the People's Power Party, widely seen as Thaksin's proxy, insist on continuing their administration by forming a new impromptu party to which its MPs intend to migrate to. Meanwhile, supporters of the government, decked out in red, tried to lay siege to the Court House to prevent, what they described as a 'rushed decision'. Their reaction to the ruling might create unrest in Bangkok in the coming days.
Thailand's political stability has been rocked by the latest ante, after brewing all year in a standoff between supporters of Thaksin and his government, and those who see them as incompetent and interested only in measures to exonerate the former leader from corruption charges and verdicts.
With 300,000 tourists now stranded and cancellations mounting, pressure has been mounting from all sides for both sides to compromise and bring an end to the ruinous protest action that has been costly to the tourist season.
Latest updates: Baht and Sold newswire
Posted by: Andrew on 02 Dec 2008, 16:46 -
Bomb hits airport, kills one
One man, age 29, was killed and 22 were injured at the Don Mueang Airport early Tuesday morning. The Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has held the airport hostage for several days, protesting the current government and demanding the Prime Minister resign.
The explosion hit the incoming terminal building just after midnight when many of the PAD protesters were asleep. This is one in a succession of bombs that have targeted the anti-government protesters in the past couple weeks.
The loud explosion caused panic and turmoil in the masses of PAD protesters. Some protesters ran from the site while others donned riot gear in preparation for another clash. Earlier, many protesters told media they were willing to die for their cause.
The atmosphere is becoming tenser as the days go by. Many are worried about a court decision expected to arrive on Tuesday that may add fuel to the fire. Pro-government supporters are also assembling in large numbers with no hint of backing down from the PAD.
Posted by: Andrew on 02 Dec 2008, 08:00 -
Flights departing Thailand as airlines offer assistance
The backlog of passengers stranded in Thailand was beginning to clear over the weekend as Bangkok's two main airports remained closed and under siege from anti-government protesters.
A check in counter has been established at the Bitec conference centre in Southern Bangkok to ease the pressure on the limited facilities at Pattaya's U-Tapao airport, ninety minutes from the capital. Flights have been departing at a rate of roughly 40 a day, and will increase now that aircraft grounded at Suvarnabhumi airport have been released for use in flying tourists home. No inbound flights to Bangkok are occuring yet however.
Meanwhile airlines have been advising passengers to contact their customer services centres to re-book flights or cancel. Thai Airways has set up a special hotline (02-356-1111, 02-545-4000) to deal with customers. Other international airlines are trying to re-route passengers through Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
The airports expected to re-open by the end of the week, when a key ruling on the ruling party, planned for Tuesday, might lead to a House Dissolution and an end of the protest. Events and safety remain uncertain, however there have been few reports of violence and no tourists' safety affected by clashes.
The government of Thailand has been providing stranded tourists with a 2000 baht ($60) daily accommodation and food allowance.
Breaking news from Bangkok Post
Posted by: Andrew on 01 Dec 2008, 11:51