suvarnabhumi

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] [1]. 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] [2], 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. [1]: http://1stopbangkok.com [2]: http://bangkokpost.com 2009-08-07T09:00:00+07:00 1405 2009-08-06T17:39:22+07:00 5 true 1405-spectacular-bangkok-rail-link-nearly-complete Andrew

A British couple who were falsely accused of stealing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in [Bangkok] [1] have announced plans to sue the airport for wrongful arrest. The [Phuket Gazette] [2] reported that Stephen Ingram, 49, and Xi Lin, 45, were accused of stealing a Givenchy wallet worth around 7,000 from a King Power duty-free shop on April 25 as they went to board Qantas flight QF1 to London. The pair were handed over to the police and forced to pay bribes of around 450,000 baht for their release, even though there was no evidence against them. Apparently, the couple were detained for five days, during which time they were threatened and held hostage in a cheap hotel until they agreed to pay the bribe. Stephen Ingram and Xi Lin were so outraged by their experience that as soon as they managed to get out of their situation they decided to sue for unlawful treatment. "Our main motivation [in suing] is to protect other innocent British tourists from being caught up in this nightmare," Stephen Ingram said in an interview last week. "We intend to take every legal means to recover our money and obtain justice." Investigations are underway to ascertain whether or not this is an ongoing scam. However, there seem to be no other reports of tourists being treated in this way and it appears to be an isolated incident. [1]: http://1stopbangkok.com [2]: http://phuketgazette.net/news/ 2009-06-29T09:15:00+07:00 1345 2009-06-29T11:05:39+07:00 5 true 1345-british-tourists-fight-for-their-rights Andrew

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] [1] 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] [2], 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. [1]: http://bangkokpost.com [2]: http://1stopthailand.com/bangkok 2009-04-29T14:48:00+07:00 1239 2009-04-29T14:49:11+07:00 5 true 1239-thailand-airports-prepare-for-swine-flu Andrew

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] [1] 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] [2]: “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. [1]: http://1stopthailand.com/bangkok [2]: http://nationmultimedia.com 2009-03-21T07:22:00+07:00 1179 2009-03-21T07:23:55+07:00 5 true 1179-emirates-to-introduce-a380-service-to-bangkok Andrew

Executives at Thai Airways have confirmed that the flagship carrier will shut down operations at the old Don Mueang airport in [Bangkok] [1] before the end of the month. Chokchai Panyayong, vice-president for Suvarnabhumi operations at Thai Airways, was quoted in the [Bangkok Post] [2] 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. [1]: http://1stopthailand.com/bangkok [2]: http://bangkokpost.com 2009-03-14T07:42:00+07:00 1173 2009-03-14T07:42:49+07:00 5 true 1173-thai-airways-moving-all-operations-to-suvarnabhumi-airport- Andrew

Thailand’s tourist police at Suvarnabhumi Airport in [Bangkok] [1] 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] [2]. 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. [1]: http://1stopthailand.com/bangkok [2]: http://bangkokpost.com 2009-03-11T14:05:00+07:00 1168 2009-03-11T14:06:51+07:00 5 true 1168-gangs-stealing-from-bangkok-airport-passenger-luggage- Andrew

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. 2008-12-03T07:25:00+07:00 1019 2008-12-03T07:39:57+07:00 5 true 1019-airport-protest-ends-flights-to-resume-soon Andrew

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. 2008-12-02T17:02:00+07:00 1018 2008-12-02T17:14:44+07:00 5 true 1018-suvarnabhumi-likely-to-be-closed-7-more-days-but-other-airports-busy Andrew

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](http://www.bahtsold.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3612) 2008-12-02T16:46:00+07:00 1017 2008-12-02T17:01:44+07:00 5 true 1017-court-ruling-may-end-airport-seizure Andrew

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](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breaking_previous.php) 2008-12-01T11:51:00+07:00 1014 2008-12-01T12:03:33+07:00 5 true 1014-flights-departing-thailand-as-airlines-offer-assistance Andrew

Bangkok's main international airport has been closed, with all inbound and outbound flights cancelled Wednesday morning after anti-government protesters stormed the terminal Tuesday afternoon. Thousands of passengers are now stranded and many more inconvenienced by cancelled flights to Thailand. The protesters, part of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), are vowing to stay put until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns. It brings to a head a political crisis that has been brewing since the large group first occupied Government House in August. Adding to the insecurity, several small bombs have exploded periodically in the protest areas, thought to be the work of pro-government agitators. No foreigners have been hurt in the stand-off, however several countries have issued travel warnings on travel to Thailand. The Prime Minister, who jetted in to Chiang Mai late Wednesday after attending the APEC meeting in Peru, has condemned it as illegal and a 'threat to democracy'. However, the Army Chief Anupong Paojinda has refused to use force to remove the protesters, suggesting the Prime Minister should dissolve the House instead and the PAD guarantee to cease their protest in return. Prime Minister Wongsawat has however dismissed the suggestion. The airport meanwhile has remained closed until further notice with access to the terminal blocked by protesters and the concourses occupied by yellow-clad PAD protesters. Behind the scenes there have been furious efforts to get both sides to back down. The PAD protests have become increasingly daring in their attempt to unseat the present government, elected in January 2008, when power was returned to the ballot following the 2006 coup. The group's activities have become increasingly militant in response to the governing party's attempts to apparently whitewash corruption charges against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was disposed in the coup. The PAD recently blockaded parliament in a desperate attempt to prevent the government from endorsing a bill to allow a constitutional amendment that would open the door for Thaksin's exoneration. When the session was postponed, the PAD moved their protest to the airport in a final bid to force a House dissolution. The ruling party is facing a likely dissolution in late December for vote buying, and is under pressure to force through their agenda. 2008-11-26T10:13:00+07:00 993 2008-11-27T10:33:01+07:00 5 true 993-bangkok-suvarnabhumi-airport-closed-by-protesters Andrew

Two local residents of a neighbourhood near [Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport](http://www.bangkokpost.com) have been arrested by Thai police after they set off three yipeng paper lanterns into the air nearby the airport. 65-year old Thongbai Sannag and her 32-year old nephew Suchart Chantawong were caught in the act of lighting the hot-air lanterns after air traffic controllers called the police after spotting three of them in the sky, potentially in the flight path of an airplane. Police say at least ten people fled as they arrived, but the two caught explained they were protesting the owners of Suvarnabhumi, Airports of Thailand and their unpaid compensation packages from when the airport was first built. The deputy transport minister warned that "The country could be painted in a negative light and the lives of innocent air passengers put on the line," and urged protesters to desist such activity. Nonetheless, AoT said it would look at the cases in question, as many residents feel under-compensated for the noise pollution created by the international airport. 2008-04-24T13:08:00+07:00 652 2008-04-24T13:11:13+07:00 7 true 652-two-arrested-in-bangkok-protest DaveB

Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi airport has been given the go ahead with the second-phase of expansion to include a third runway and a new domestic terminal. A total of 10 new projects worth in excess of 73 billion baht will be undertaken by the Transport Ministry. Two of the 10 projects will be implemented this year, including the construction of the third runway. Future projects will include an automated people-mover, a new car park, as well as the ongoing reduction of noise pollution over five years. The creation of the new domestic terminal will relieve congestion at the main terminal and will cost in the region of six billion baht. Interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont originally put the airport expansion plans on hold and re-opened up Don Mueang airport to save money. Don Mueang made way for the new Suvarnabhumi in late September 2006 but was reopened for domestic flights. Since then Suvarnabhumi Airport has been beset by construction flaws, including cracks in the main runway, as well as corruption scandals. The new expansion scheme would run from 2008 to 2013 and when finished would enable Suvarnabhumi to serve 60 million passengers a year; an extra 15 million passengers over its current 45 million. It is also likely that the new work would signal a closure of Don Mueang airport by the government. AoT have earned more than 10 billion baht from the management of Suvarnabhumi airport and would be footing the bill. As part of the runway expansion, the third runway will feature an auto-landing system allowing aircraft to land even in low visibility conditions. Suvarnabhumi may then receive a safety measure of three, with Category 3 being the safest. In comparison, regional airports have a category rating of 1, with Don Mueang being Category 2 rated. Plots of land on the eastern side of the airport will also be surveyed for the project. [Thai Airports](http://www.1stopthailand.com/transportation/air-airports/) 2008-04-23T05:31:00+07:00 651 2008-04-23T05:36:32+07:00 5 true 651-suvarnabhumi-to-keep-on-growing Andrew

A shortage of immigration staff at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport was causing extremely long queues for foreign visitors admitted the commissioner of immigration. The reason being, according to Immigration Bureau commander Pol Lt-Gen Chatchaval Suksomchit, is that the Immigration Bureau has limited staff numbers at Suvarnabhumi Airport’s many immigration counters. The Immigration Bureau has received numerous complaints from irate passengers, both foreign and Thai, and as the Royal Thai Police control immigration and border posts, they are considering asking for more immigration staff from other agencies. The extended queues have caused many passengers to miss flights when checking in less than one hour before their scheduled departure. There isn't enough time to check-in and pass immigration within the hour and Pol Lt Gen Chatchaval said that 45 to 60 minutes should be set aside for immigration procedures alone. Suvarnabhumi Airport is now Thailand’s main airport serving in excess of 100,000 international passengers per day - 45,000 arriving, 40,000 departing, and 15,000 in transit. There are only 200 immigration officers on duty during each shift, with 124 counters for arriving passengers and 80 counters for departing passengers. The airport is short of about 400 immigration officers every day between the arrival and departure counters. General Suksomchit suggested that passengers arrive at check-in at least two hours before their departure time. More on [Thailand Transportation](http://www.1stopthailand.com/transportation/) 2008-02-25T03:35:00+07:00 562 2008-02-25T15:45:26+07:00 5 true 562-suvarnabhumi-short-on-immigration-staff Andrew

Passengers arriving at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi airport were greeted with an unwelcoming wait Tuesday as taxis refused to pick anyone up. Sudden changes to the parking and pickup permits prompted about 2,000 taxi drivers to stage a protest at the airport which was eventually dispersed at 3pm. The protesting drivers gathered at the Public transport Centre after the Airports of Thailand (AOT) suddenly introduced a trial plan that cancelled their permits. They were expected to now park and wait at an off-site facility which is no longer provided free of charge. [Getting to and from Bangkok airport](http://www.1stopbangkok.com/getting_here/get_around/ "title") The taxi drivers became furious when the AOT management begun allowing unlicenced taxis in to alleviate the problem, which developed shortly after 8am. AOT has been paying an outsourced company 700,000 baht a month to manage the taxi queuing system, as well as paying 300,000 in upkeep of the parking facility. At 3pm the standoff finally ended when representatives of AOT agreed that the plan would be suspended and to first consider proposals from the taxi drivers, whom the AOT wants to assume responsibility for managing the queuing system. It claimed to have already consulted a committee who apparently were representing the drivers. AOT’s management of transportation at the airport has been previously criticised for its lack of transparency and fairness. Their own, grossly overpriced, limousine service is unfairly promoted in the arrivals area, where passengers are warned not take the metered taxis for their own safety, despite having been awarded permits to pick up from the airport. Numerous complaints continue to pour in about the aggressive AOT-approved touts who accost visitors in the arrivals hall offering the limo service. Only recently AOT reluctantly agreed to move the taxi pick up to the ground floor and move their limos to the basement. Info on [Bangkok airport](http://www.1stopbangkok.com/getting_here/airport/ "title") 2007-12-26T15:12:00+07:00 492 2007-12-26T15:15:45+07:00 5 true 492-protesting-taxis-jam-bangkok-airport Andrew

[Computer Business Review Online][cbro] carries a report about Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport's plans to implement RFID and Barcoding in the central Cargo Free Zone to imporve efficiency in cargo and baggage handling. Visith Somboon, president of AMR Asia Company, the contractor and systems integrator, gave some details about [the choice of RFID systems and implementation][cbron]. [cbro]: http://www.cbronline.com/ [cbron]: http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=CE30B2F6-90BC-412D-9518-AD653B7C80BE 2007-06-21T03:34:00+07:00 169 2 true 169-thailand-s-new-airport-rolls-new-technology Toony