Don Muang re-opened as secound international airport soon...

Bangkok will have two international airports

Bangkok will now have two international airports; Suvannabhumi and Don Muang, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said Tuesday.

Considering the increasing number of passengers and demands, the Cabinet decided that Don Muang Airport, which was shut down in September after Suvannabhumi was openned, will be re-opened.

He was speaking after chairing the weekly cabinet meeting Tuesday.

"Considering the problems we have now at Suvannabhumi Airport and the number of passengers are increasing, the Cabinet decided that Don Muang Airport will be re-opened and Bangkok will have two international airports."

The Nation, Febr. 06, 2007

Similar Threads:

• Don Muang Airport
• How to get to Suvanabumi Airport from Don Muang ?
• Don Muang Airport to Pattaya
• Dom Muang Airport to re-open for domestic flighs?
• New terminal opened at Krabi International Airport

Where are the Pollyannas singing the praise of Suvannabhumi now?

I can't believe all you lame-brains crowing in tune with the military junta's anti-Suvarnabhumi propaganda.

Stop for a second and ask yourselves: who lost out most when Don Muang was closed, and who stands to benefit most from its reopening? The military, perhaps? Wow, what a coincidence! The same guys who are calling the shots now! Imagine that!

Who's the Polly Anna here, then?

[sjaak327]

I can't believe all you lame-brains crowing in tune with the military junta's anti-Suvarnabhumi propaganda.

Stop for a second and ask yourselves: who lost out most when Don Muang was closed, and who stands to benefit most from its reopening? The military, perhaps? Wow, what a coincidence! The same guys who are calling the shots now! Imagine that!

Who's the Polly Anna here, then?

You are certainly right, the millitary does have something to gain with re-opening Don Muang. But of course that doesn't hide the fact that Suvarnabhumi is a disaster.

I for one, think two international airports for Bangkok is a very bad idea, and I'm sure hoping this will be temporary. But I'm not holding my breath..

Move it all back to Don Muang.
Make the new airport a giant massage and entertainment center. And CASINO.
Problem solved.

[Geezer]

IтАЩm not sure, I think it was in The Nation, I read a proposal Suvarnabhumi be abandoned and allowed to return to the jungle.

It would then be marketed in the same way as Angkor Wat.

How about a Thaksin hall of horrors?

THAI to decide whether to return to old airport for some overseas routes, Air Asia agrees to move

Thai Airways Inter-national (THAI) is considering moving some international flights back to Don Muang, while Thai AirAsia will operate all 80 daily flights out of there, following the Cabinet's surprise decision yesterday to reopen the old airport for both domestic and international flights.

Nok Air and One-Two-Go also said they would base their flights at the old airport.

The decision to turn Don Muang into Bangkok's second international airport came as a major surprise to THAI. THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni yesterday said the airline needed to reassess its operating plan. "We're reviewing the situation, as we need to know how to deploy our fleet with two airports in operation," said Apinan, adding that some international flights should return to Don Muang.

The new plan should be completed within the first quarter.

Earlier, after Airports of Thailand (AOT), operator of both the old and the new airports, proposed using Don Muang only for non-transit domestic flights, THAI announced its plan to move most of its domestic flights to Don Muang, except those from Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi, which carry a large number of connecting passengers.

The decision delighted Thai AirAsia. CEO Tassapon Bijleveld said the budget airline was ready to move all 80 flights - domestic and international - from Suvarnabhu-mi Airport to Don Muang. "We will soon visit Don Muang to check equipment and know the exact location of our base," Tassapon said.

Thai AirAsia was the first airline to propose reopening the old airport, citing the much higher operating costs at Suvarnabhumi, which required higher fees to cover its Bt150-billion cost.

The proposal was made following rumours in the Thaksin era that Don Muang would be reserved as the operating base of Thai AirAsia, which is partially owned by Shin Corp, the flagship business of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thai AirAsia earlier opposed the reopening of Don Muang for only domestic flights, citing that it would cause trouble for connecting flights.

The Cabinet yesterday resolved to reopen Don Muang, which had been used for 91 years before the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport last September 28 for both domestic and international flights. The decision came amid growing problems at the scandal-ridden new airport.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont attributed the decision to the growing number of passengers that Suvarnabhumi alone could not serve. He also reportedly said Don Muang's reopening would benefit the country, because the old airport was still in good condition, and runway repairs at Suvarnabhumi could be carried out smoothly. "I consulted the transport minister [Theera Haocharoen], and he said there should be no problem, because some cities abroad also have two international airports," he said.

He also said that once Don Muang reopened, AOT's plan to build a new passenger building and two more runways at Suvarnabhumi would be shelved, in order to save the national budget. AOT earlier estimated it would need additional Bt16 billion for the project.

Among major world cities that operate more than one international airport are New York, Berlin, London, Tokyo, Milan, Rome and Paris.

Surayud also reportedly told the Cabinet that Suvarnabhumi's problems should be addressed by a national committee, to be established later. The committee would be tasked with investigating the problems, even after the present government ends its term. "The chairman and board members will be neutral people who will win public recognition. I will consult with the transport minister on the proper individuals," he reportedly told the Cabinet.

Currently, there are a variety of committees looking into the scandals, which have already been highly publicised and could ruin the country's image among travellers.

Meanwhile, the Thai News Agency reported that the Airport Operations Committee (AOC), which represents more than 65 airlines, yesterday voiced opposition to the use of dual airports for Bangkok and warned that doing so would sow confusion among passengers.

AOC chairwoman Sopin Daengthes said due to a lack of transport links between the two airports, passengers would have difficulty getting from one to the other. She said a study by the International Air Transport Association showed a single airport would be more efficient in terms of management.

The Nation, Febr 07, 2007

--------------
Additional note: A formerly influancial person in politics, Mr T., still ownes nearly 50 percent of ThaiAir Asia shares.

[Smiles]

Two stories from the Bangkok Post:


First Airport Criminal Charges Filed

" ... The Assets Scrutiny Committee has filed criminal charges against four companies and their executives it says colluded with politicians and officials in the procurement of Suvarnabhumi's "overpriced" baggage-handling system, which included the CTX bomb scanners.

Three of the four accused are companies partnered in the ITO Joint Venture, a major contractor for Suvarnabhumi. They are Italian-Thai Development Plc, Takenaka and Obayashi. The fourth company is Quatrotec Inc, according to ASC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said.

Mr Sak said the ASC recently found that these companies had conspired with officials and politicians through dishonest performance of duties in the procurement. The firms are charged with criminal offences under articles 3 and 11 of the Act Governing Wrongdoings of Officials in State Agencies, and Article 157 of the Criminal Code for conspiracy ... "

THE REST OF THE STORY AT: http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/t ... ?id=116587



Retailers Hail Don Muang Revival

" ... Hotel operators and retailers in northern Bangkok yesterday welcomed the government's decision to reopen the Don Muang airport as a second international airport for the capital. The Don Muang Tollway and major shopping malls along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road are also expected to enjoy a boost from the move to a two-airport strategy.

Sombat Panichcheewa, the president of Don Muang Tollway, welcomed the reopening of the old airport. He said that having more than two international airports in big cities was nothing unusual, and noted that Suvarnabhumi, despite being opened only last year, was already at full capacity. ... "

REST OF THE STORY AT: http://www.bangkokpost.net/Business/07Feb2007_biz39.php


Cheers ....

[Davey612]

This is an interesting development. I am not sure how many of us connect with Air Asia to other Thai cities after an international flight. But it seems that moving all Air Asia flights to Don Muan will mean connecting to that airline is no longer a feasible option. So, that may leave Thai as the only carrier...and as you know, less competition...higher ticket prices. Just a thought.