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PussyLover 69
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Looks like AoT employees are out to sabotage the opening of the new Airport.
Read on.....................
Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 16 September 2006 :-
Sabotage suspected in airport power cuts
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Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal ordered an investigation into three electricity blackouts at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday morning which he believed were part of a coordinated attempt to derail the airport's commercial operation beginning yesterday. Airports of Thailand (AoT) also filed a complaint with police against a suspect spotted on video footage from the airport's security cameras.
''We want to know who is behind the sabotage, and what is the motive,'' Mr Pongsak said.
Security at the airport would be stepped up and people entering and leaving the airport checked.
More security cameras would be installed at the airport, especially in control rooms, he added.
The security measures also require officials entering and leaving the airport's control rooms to pass security cameras.
They are to sign their names and give phone numbers before entering and leaving the control room as well. Staff will have to wear ID badges.
The first power blackout took place at 1.02am at Thai Airways International (THAI) check-in counters, which was followed by a second at 1.08am at Bangkok Airways counters and a third at 1.10am at AIMS building.
The blackout at THAI check-in counters forced staff to process passengers manually.
The power outage caused the first commercial flight from Suvarnabhumi, bound for Phitsanulok, to be delayed for 30 minutes. Mr Pongsak said the airport's telephone cables laid in ventilation pipes had been sabotaged before. It disrupted the airport's communication system.
''To prevent further sabotage, it's better to have the airport operational as soon as possible,'' he said.
The airport's full commercial opening is scheduled for Sept 28. Yesterday's operation saw two carriers using the airport: six THAI flights, to and from Phitsanulok, and two Jetstar flights, from Suvarnabhumi to Singapore.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who was inspecting Suvarnabhumi's readiness on its first day of commercial operations yesterday, also ordered the airport's design firm, MJTA, to help prevent operational disruptions caused by any future electricity blackouts.
Mr Suriya has asked MJTA to connect all electricity systems in the airport to make it easier for officials in the electricity control room to identify spots in the airport where blackouts occur.
AoT vice-president for management Somchai Sawasdipol said the suspect appearing in the video footage from security cameras was questioned by airport security officers.
He is an AoT electrical mechanic who entered the airport's electricity control room outside his working hours, at 1am and left at 1.05am, Mr Somchai said.
However, the mechanic denied doing anything wrong.
He said he switched the cut-outs as he mistook them for switches for an air-conditioning system. AoT handed over the suspect to police.
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Posted on: 11:16 pm on Sep. 15, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report fron Bangkok Post dated Saturday 16 September 2006 :-
New Airport gets a nixed reception : Service is quick inside, but transport system is inconvenient, say passengers
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First-time visitor Jason Tuner and his two friends were impressed with the quick service inside the new Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday, but not so impressed by the slow service once they went outside. It took more than half an hour at the airport to find a taxi to take them to the Prince Palace Hotel, where they had booked to stay in Bangkok.
Problems with unclear signs and the ill-prepared public transport system were among the complaints that departing and arriving passengers and visitors had during the opening of Suvarnabhumi for some regular flights yesterday.
Most people, however, commented on the beautiful design and size of the airport.
Mr Tuner came from Singapore with Jetstar Asia Airways and found the service from the main terminal to the bus station inconvenient.
''Everything inside [the airport] is very comfortable and very fast. But I think it should have the taxi services queuing in front of the terminal exit,'' said the American, who works for a cargo firm and plans to stay in Bangkok for three days before heading to Phuket for another two days.
''It should not be that when you have come out of the luggage claims area you have to wait for the shuttle bus to take you to the bus terminal to take a taxi into the city,'' he said.
The complaint was also made by two foreigners who were at the airport to survey the area before going back again next month to pick up friends from Japan.
One of them, Reiner Zimmermann, said shuttle buses should have big doors and slopes for passengers with big bags.
When he went to the arrival area on the second floor, he found no sign of the meeting point. When he asked the airport staff, he was told that the meeting point was one floor up.
''It does not make sense,'' he said. ''When passengers come here for the first time with no mobile phone, no contact number, how will they know where their friends are waiting?''
Threerachart Aor-samarn, 35, a disabled man flying from Phitsanulok with Thai Airways, complained about the lack of a shuttle bus service for the handicapped and small toilet signs.
''The announcements to passengers aboard the flight were also unclear and I misunderstood the fact that the plane would land at the new airport. So I told my relative to wait for me at Don Muang airport,'' he said.
Prapee Tavornrat, 45, a private company employee, complained about high taxi fares as she had to pay 500 baht to get from Bang Bua Thong in Nonthaburi to the new airport.
Taxi driver Supol Treekaew admitted losing income on his first day at the new airport. He had been waiting there since 8.30am and after two hours, he still had no passengers. He hoped that when the new airport becomes fully operational on Sept 28, passengers would use the taxi service and he would get more money.
He complained about the fixed price for passengers going to Bangkok. The price is too cheap and so is the fare for Pattaya which is fixed at only 1,050 baht, whereas he used to charge passengers about 1,500 baht, he said.
But Uthai Pummakot, another taxi driver who queued at the public transport terminal, was lucky. He had surveyed the entrance to the airport since the night before and had passengers to go to Pattaya after waiting for more than two hours.
Besides the passengers arriving at the airport yesterday, many parents were there simply to get used to the new airport before picking up their children coming back from overseas next month.
Rossarin Vaitayanon, 78, said she and her friend hired a taxi to go to the airport and wait for her to return for about 800 baht from Bang Na.
She said the sign at the entrance on the Bang Na-Trat highway was not clear and other signs leading to the airport were too small. ''I expected to see many airplanes parked at the gates but none were parked there,'' she said.
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Posted on: 11:29 pm on Sep. 15, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 17 September 2006 :-
Access tightened at Suvarnabhumi Airport
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Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal ordered a reorganisation of access to key operation areas within Suvarnabhumi Airport to prevent any further possible human errors like the power outage that slightly delayed the airport's soft opening last week.
An airport employee switched off power to vital computer systems hours before the Sept 15 flights that officially inaugurated airport tests. This caused a delay to Thai Airways International flight TG 8860 to Phitsanulok, Suvarnabhumi’s first commercial flight.
Mr Pongsak held a meeting Sunday with Airports of Thailand Plc. (AOT) senior executives, who were led by Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager Somchai Sawasdeepon.
In light of the power supply incident, officials concluded that tighter access restrictions be applied to areas vital to airport operations.
Areas coming under greater control include locations regulating power supply, and mechanical and central control rooms for facilities such as elevators and escalators.
The AOT has appointed teams to closely monitor these areas in order to ensure airport efficiency and safety.
In addition to facilities inside the passenger terminal, airport employees will also constantly monitor and report activities in other key areas, like the cargo and warehouse zones.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 5:06 am on Sep. 17, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 18 September 2006 :-
Trouble spots identified at the new airport
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The modern look and beautiful design of Suvarnabhumi airport are harbouring potential dangers for unaware passengers and the airport authority is doing its best to get rid of the problems.
A survey by the Bangkok Post found at least five spots where danger loomed and could stop air passengers from boarding the planes in time.
The potential danger spots include the car park building and its walkway leading to the terminal's third floor, revolving doors, sharp-edged air-conditioners fixed on the floor, escalators, and the slippery marble floor at the departure area for out-bound passengers.
Airport director Somchai Sawasdipol admitted yesterday that a design flaw was to blame for threatening passenger safety.
At the car park building, there are no long cement walls around each floor to prevent cars from plummeting to the ground. The building was just fenced by an aluminium structure and lines of iron at its sides.
Although the lines are beautiful and make it look like a "see-through" building, the safety of drivers has been brought into question because if they reverse their cars carelessly they could plunge to the ground. Mr Somchai said there might be a need to build cement walls around each floor to prevent accidents.
An unusually "large space" was also seen at the corner of the walkway, which is again fenced by an aluminium structure and slings. It connects the car park building and the terminal's third floor. The space is too wide and would put the life of small children in danger if they were around as they could accidentally fall through it.
To solve the problem, Mr Somchai said a strong plastic fence would be built along the walkway.
The 10 revolving doors at the terminal may cause problems for passengers not familiar with this type of door. Mr Somchai said the drawback was the doors stop moving and get locked if too many people use them at the same time.
In the first two years, he said airport staff would be on hand to advise passengers on how to use the doors. Technicians are also needed to regularly adjust their sensors because a malfunction could easily cause the doors to stop working and trap people.
Inside the terminal, several modern air-conditioners on the floor could harm careless people and their children with their sharp corners. Mr Somchai said tree pots might be placed near them to prevent people from hitting against their corners.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:16 pm on Sep. 17, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 18 September 2006 :-
Ground transport at Suvarnabhumi Airport causes concern
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Inconvenient transport at Suvarnabhumi Airport is the biggest worry tour operators have as they prepare for the airport's opening 10 days from now.
The airport's operator, Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), needs to resolve a number of issues over the next two weeks in order to avoid chaos, says the 1,300-member Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).
ATTA president Apichart Sankary said the problem of picking up arriving tourists at the airport remained unresolved.
For example, he said, only registered taxis - which must pay a 15,000-baht fee for the privilege - are allowed to pick up arrivals at the airport. This would discourage non-registered cabbies from driving 40 kilometres from downtown to drop off passengers if they know they will have to return empty.
Buses are also prohibited from parking close to the airport terminal. Most will have to park in a designated area three kilometres away and passengers will have to take shuttles from the terminal.
Mr Apichart foresees major inconveniences for group tours, which account for an average of 7,000 to 8,000 arriving tourists per day and can top 10,000 in the high season.
About half of the tourists who visit Thailand are customers of ATTA members.
Mr Apichart said that to address potential problems, ATTA members plan to increase the number of staff stationed at the airport, from the current two or three people each on three shifts a day. Its members have also given as much information as they can to their business partners overseas to help them familiarise customers with Thailand's new airport.
Maiyarat Pheeratyakoses, the managing director of Lee Ben Travel Services Co, said that it was normal to see difficulties at a new airport.
"For Hong Kong, it took a year for the problems to settle down but we hope for a shorter time in the Thai airport," Ms Maiyarat said.
Ms Maiyarat said that the sooner the problems were solved, the more tourism revenue Thailand could expect to earn.
She said that by showing the world good management at Suvarnabhumi, AoT would draw back some airlines that had bypassed the congested Don Muang Airport, potentially raising aviation traffic by 10%.
The ATTA estimates that the number of foreign tourist arrivals could rise to 14.5 million next year, from around 13.2 million projected this year.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:39 pm on Sep. 17, 2006
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China Sailor
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Here is a link to a BBC article on the new airport that Stick had on his site.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5345954.stm
No offense PL69 but I trust BBC a little more than the BKK Post (or KNN).
DISCLAIMER: Despite the news reports we will be having to use this airport starting 9/28. I expect it will be more like the opening of the HKG airport than the Inchon airport...
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:08 pm on Sep. 18, 2006
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Yurune
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One good thing about the opening of the new airport, it will stop him regurgitating his crap each day.
I see the BBC are talking about the IATA concerns..... hmmm....how long ago did I mention that?
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:22 pm on Sep. 18, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 19 September 2006 :-
Pongsak: New airport's glass roof has leaks
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Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal conceded yesterday the glass roof of Suvarnabhumi airport has leaks, with up to 500 trouble spots altogether. But he assured the authorities could fix the problems before the commercial opening on Sept 28.
Mr Pongsak said of the total, over 400 spots had already been sealed.
He said leaks became visible after recent downpours. They were mainly on sections of the roof above passages connecting the 563,000 sqm passenger terminal and concourses, particularly the area near the silicone seals of the glass roofing.
They were caused by workers polishing the glass before the silicone seals had dried properly, Mr Pongsak said.
He said the problem was not serious.
"Heavy rains forced rainwater through the leaks into the passenger terminal. This was expected and the number of leaks was small, accounting for less than 1% [of the overall 100,000 seals on the roof]. It's a common problem for a new airport and can be solved," he said.
The minister has ordered immediate repairs to the glass roof.
Suvarnabhumi airport director Somchai Sawasdeepon said the leaks were spotted four days ago and would be plugged by Sept 25. ITO Joint Venture, the contractor for the passenger terminal, will fix the leaks as the building has a two-year warranty. He also confirmed that the leaks were not a major problem.
Mr Pongsak has told airport staff to immediately sort out danger areas in the passenger terminal and car park building.
He said metal rails near elevator doors on upper floors were not in place and there were big gaps through which children or even adults could fall. Warning signs and safety nets will be put in place.
Passages connecting the car park building and the passenger terminal are built with metal frames. Transparent but strong plastic panels will be attached to stop people falling through those rails.
Mr Pongsak also ordered adjustments to prevent people accidentally hurting themselves on the sharp edges of floor-based air-con vents.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 11:28 pm on Sep. 18, 2006
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Yurune
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Quote: from DaffyDuck on 9:12 am on Sep. 10, 2006
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Quote: from Thin White Duke on 6:31 am on Sep. 10, 2006
4) How much is the airport tax on the way out?
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700 Baht
Not until February 1st 2007
Oh and the airport code will be NBK not BKK between it's opening and Sept 28th.
After yhat it will inherit Don Muangs BKK code.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:11 am on Sep. 19, 2006
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