Suvarnabhumi Airport

[cookie]

Problems with the new tarmac at the new airport parking bays.

I thought we had this tarmac problem of bad new or fixed roads only here in my city in the Northeast

Parking bays closed for repair

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Less than a month after Suvarnabhumi airport went into full operation, three of its aircraft parking bays and a taxiway had to be closed for repair as they became uneven due to cracked tarmac. Airport general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon said yesterday that the temporary closure since Saturday was necessary at the E2, 4 and 6 parking bays and the T13 taxiway due to their uneven surface. Tarmac in those areas would be replaced before they were put back in normal service this Saturday, he said.

Airport staff are investigating to find the real cause. Mr Somchai assumed that the seams between the taxiway tarmac and the adjacent parking bays may have cracked and let rainwater seep in.

This may have resulted from heavy downpours, or the partial removal of flood dykes at the airport may have allowed water from a nearby canal to seep into the tarmac, Mr Somchai said.

Officials are checking other areas for similar defects. The repair work is the responsibility of ITO Joint Venture, the airport contractor whose two-year warranty is still in effect, he added.

According to Mr Somchai, the areas with uneven surface usually bear the weight of aircraft landing gear. When pressured, the soaked tarmac pushed up against the adjacent surface, resulting in unevenness. The temporary closure of the three parking bays does not affect the airport's service.

A source at the Airports of Thailand said small cracks have appeared for a length of over 100m along the T13 taxiway leading to the E2, 4 and 6 parking bays. Recent downpours may have caused water to seep through the taxiway tarmac that is 33cm thick. The 72cm-thick concrete layer underneath remains intact, however. The cracks are superficial and can be repaired simply by tarmac replacement.

[izzix]

More toilets for new Thai airport

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Authorities in Thailand said Wednesday they will triple the number of toilets at the newly opened Bangkok international airport following a flood of passenger complaints.

The sprawling Suvarnabhumi International Airport only has some 100 toilets for the more than 100,000 daily passengers, sparking frustration and anger among those having to stand in long lines.

"We are aware of this burden on the passengers and I have ordered a quick resolution to this problem by ordering the building of 200 more toilets. The project has already begun," the head of the Airports Authority of Thailand Chotisak Asapaviriya told The Associated Press.

The 400 million baht ($10 million) project is expected to be completed within 45 days.

"I guarantee that by then passengers and visitors to the airport will find convenient relief," Chotisak said.

Opened last month and hailed as the new air hub for Southeast Asia, the airport has not been without problems, including slow unloading of luggage, insufficient seating at departure gates and a cramped taxi pickup area.

Most recently, some of the parking bays have been temporarily closed for repairs due to the uneven surface of the ramp approach, Chotisak said.

Source: AP - 25 October 2006

[izzix]

$10 million for extra latrines ! phew they should be good for that .
you would have thought $100,000 would do it !
urinals, tiles, washabasins, bogs, taps , plastic piping that costs 10 million !

[polehawk]

More toilets for new Thai airport

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Authorities in Thailand said Wednesday they will triple the number of toilets at the newly opened Bangkok international airport following a flood of passenger complaints.

The sprawling Suvarnabhumi International Airport only has some 100 toilets for the more than 100,000 daily passengers, sparking frustration and anger among those having to stand in long lines.

"We are aware of this burden on the passengers and I have ordered a quick resolution to this problem by ordering the building of 200 more toilets. The project has already begun," the head of the Airports Authority of Thailand Chotisak Asapaviriya told The Associated Press.

The 400 million baht ($10 million) project is expected to be completed within 45 days.

"I guarantee that by then passengers and visitors to the airport will find convenient relief," Chotisak said.

Opened last month and hailed as the new air hub for Southeast Asia, the airport has not been without problems, including slow unloading of luggage, insufficient seating at departure gates and a cramped taxi pickup area.

Most recently, some of the parking bays have been temporarily closed for repairs due to the uneven surface of the ramp approach, Chotisak said.

Source: AP - 25 October 2006

You really have to appreciate this guy's sense of humor in making that statement. Unless, of course, you're one of those waiting or dancing in line.

[izzix]

I drove out to Suvarnabhumi yesterday to pick up my sister in law and
her partner arriving on QF2 from London.

>From Huay Khwaang to the airport was a leisurely 25 mins drive at 2pm.

I decided to drive to the car park buildings by way of the departures
level road, as I approached the terminal building the first thing I
noticed was that they have set up temporary metal barriers with guards
present on two of the left hand 4 lanes where the approach road divides
into 2 seperate roads, taxis are not allowed to enter the left hand
side road now and are waved away with their departing passengers to the
outer road, passengers get out of the cab there and then make their way
with their bags across the 4 lane inner road to get in to the terminal
building, only a minor irritation, but in my opinion it is designed to
further thwart passengers from getting a taxi into town from the
departure level,

My SIL came out of arrival gate C exactly 75 minutes after their flight
landed. The first Qantas QF2 crew had emerged from the arrivals door 1
hour after the flight landed, Arrivals door C only has one channel for
passengers to pass through and it was pandemonium as several flights
had landed within a few minutes of each other and a crush developed as
people tried to get through the waiting crowd milling around the
channel into the arrivals hall. People were shouting out "excuse us
please" "can you move in front please" but there was just not enough
room to disperse the number of passengers away from the arrivals area
channel quickly enough. Congestion was further compounded by people
stopping to look around for some indication of where the public taxis
are hidden, they looked in vain, there are *no* signs.

The arrivals hall is IMO a disaster area, poorly designed, and first
time incoming passengers are being manipulated and controlled by the
cynical limo people. A complete redesign is urgently needed.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sandycrud ... cd&.src=ph

[hxjohn]

here i am on the 4 floor 100 baht for 20 min on tinternet
there is a real shortage of eating places with the size of the place they could have done so much more
on the hole its clean and lots of signs up to find your way around easy /
although forget about the lifts between floors they look nice but not enoff of them and a 25 min wait at passport control but bags where waiting so carnt complain just a little bit slower then manchester uk for a new airport they dont seem to be doing so bad

[hxjohn]

here at gate b2 useing the 50 satang a minute

both no chair to sit down but very good value things are looking up

[beer monkey]

seeing how you are giving an account of your movements around new airport....How about a report on the new contraversial bogs(toilets) hxjohn.

[izzix]

theres a report saying that the escalators are out of action and no stairs to use! oh well just walk up or down the stationary escalators

[Bandung_Dero]

Sorry I haven't read the entire thread so I don't know if this has been bought forward.
I travelled to Udon from Perth via the new airport on Saturday. My first impressions:-

a. We landed on the 4000 meter runway and I thought it was a bit rough for new infrastructure.
b. Huge amount of glass all very dirty and unattractive.
c. Even with mobile walk ways one needs to be reasonably fit to get to immiration then back to domestic departures in terminal B via the 4th floor.
d. Arrivals concoarse outside customs is a nightmare - TOO SMALL and narrow.
e. Plenty of food outlets on level 2 BUT I could not find a bar (in the whole building) where to kill a few hours between flights.

Work has not begun on the 20 additional toilet blocks that were promised in a 45 day time frame last week.

[hxjohn]

up in the roof 1 level below the look out deck above the 4th floor theres a very cosy bar walk in turn right far left corner you will find a few cosy sofa.s me the wife and boy killed some time there drinks a bit pricey but a good place to get away from the crowds
ps take the lift up if you can get in it ive been there 2 times in a week and still havent managed to get in 1 yet
i think its above check in row Q
ps anybody else been there

[izzix]

Leading proponents of equal rights for disabled people will meet with the engineer in charge of constructing 200 new toilets at Suvarnabhumi International Airport today in the hope of securing more toilets adapted for the disabled.


Topong Kulkhanchit, regional development officer for Disabled People International, said he received a phone call yesterday from the engineer, some two weeks after the junta-appointed government reprimanded the Airport Organisation of Thailand (AOT) for providing inadequate toilets for passengers at the new state-of-the-art airport.


"If they don't do it properly this time, they will be ruined. The airport management are really lousy," Topong told The Nation yesterday.


While the number of extra toilets provided for disabled people will be up for discussion, Topong said the much-touted new airport has failed miserably when it comes to providing equal access for the physically challenged.


Topong pointed out that elevators have practically no Braille signs to help the blind navigate, many signs have sharp edges which are a hazard to the visually impaired, and interior colour schemes are mostly monotone, making it difficult for a person with poor eyesight to navigate. The stand-alone air conditioners also unnecessarily obstruct blind people and there are many other ground and overhead obstacles.


"They don't care about us. Perhaps at the lower level [the AOT] do care - but not the executives," said Topong, who is suing the AOT and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, along with a few others, at the Administrative Court for failing to provide necessary access to the disabled as required by law.


Topong, himself dependent on a wheelchair, said some ramps at the departure terminal hall are very slippery and dangerous for the elderly and pregnant women.


The Nation

[izzix]

theres are few reports about baggage theft at suvarn ,use them tie-wraps as well .

[banpaeng]

I have now been through the domestic part of the terminal twice and international twice and have to say it like most other airports. I am sure they had opening problems like restrooms and such but overall it is OK.

[cookie]

Was last week in the airport to pick up my brother.
No problems at all:

[banpaeng]

Was at airport again to pick up Ms. Banpaeng and have figured out a few things. Will post them here and hope someone will find them helpful. I did not go back and read the whole 20 pages so if this is on there, so be it.

Taxi's from town can only take you to the departure area. They can not go to the arrival level.

On the departure level you will have to go to the airline counter of the airline you are taking. There are big sign boards that thell you what counter upon entering the terminal. Thai is on Islands A & B. Nok is on E. Only two I have used.

Upon arrival into the air port if arriving on Domestic you will go thru Bay A. If you arrive international you will arrive in Bay B or C. Once you have cleared Customs and Immigration you exit the bays and then you will be seeing signs that you need to only take AOT Limos or Taxi. Ignore the signs and ignore the touts. If you do not ignore then you will pay B1000 plus to get to town. You only need to go down one level to get to the metered taxis. Don't know about the other parts of town but if going to Sukumvit area, it is about B250. Tell the driver to go via expressway. Not going on expressway is about 20 Kilometers more and quite a bit slower. By the way going to a lower floor is easy as they have regular esculators and belt type moving sidewalks. You can take you baggage dolly down these with no problem. These also make pretty good interference runners as a tout will move out of the way if you are moving pretty good and look like you know where you are going.

If you are going to meet someone, tell them what door you will meet them at. You have a choice of 1 thru 10. As a suggestion I would say door 4. The reason is they have chairs right there to sit on while you wait and the moving sidewalk down to catch a taxi is right there so it makes it all a bit easy.

One last thing is between the arrival level and departure level is a level with lots of shops to eat. From seeing a lot of airport terminals these do not look to be expensive at all. Sure a bit higher than normal but overall quite reasonable.

Hope this helps someone.

[valentine]

Interesting report on ITVhot news last evening. They interviewed several workers from the new airport, all with identity hidden. Apparently there is a whole floor level unfinished and work is being carried out during the night. One lady interviewed was a janitor and she reported that workmen from there were going into the ladies toilet when the passengers from the late flights arrived and spying on unsuspecting lady farangs. A miniture CCTV camera has also been found by security in a toilet.Welcome to Thailand.

[cookie]

So I was told that there were only 4 lady toilets, and even these toilets have spying cameras in it?????
By the way, I was yesterday night at the airport.
In the evening the view is really incredible with the blue lightning. NICE

[Stu]

Thanks for the information, Banpaeng. Very helpful, especially about the taxis into town.

[dill]

Was at airport again to pick up Ms. Banpaeng and have figured out a few things. Will post them here and hope someone will find them helpful. I did not go back and read the whole 20 pages so if this is on there, so be it.

Taxi's from town can only take you to the departure area. They can not go to the arrival level.

On the departure level you will have to go to the airline counter of the airline you are taking. There are big sign boards that thell you what counter upon entering the terminal. Thai is on Islands A & B. Nok is on E. Only two I have used.

Upon arrival into the air port if arriving on Domestic you will go thru Bay A. If you arrive international you will arrive in Bay B or C. Once you have cleared Customs and Immigration you exit the bays and then you will be seeing signs that you need to only take AOT Limos or Taxi. Ignore the signs and ignore the touts. If you do not ignore then you will pay B1000 plus to get to town. You only need to go down one level to get to the metered taxis. Don't know about the other parts of town but if going to Sukumvit area, it is about B250. Tell the driver to go via expressway. Not going on expressway is about 20 Kilometers more and quite a bit slower. By the way going to a lower floor is easy as they have regular esculators and belt type moving sidewalks. You can take you baggage dolly down these with no problem. These also make pretty good interference runners as a tout will move out of the way if you are moving pretty good and look like you know where you are going.

If you are going to meet someone, tell them what door you will meet them at. You have a choice of 1 thru 10. As a suggestion I would say door 4. The reason is they have chairs right there to sit on while you wait and the moving sidewalk down to catch a taxi is right there so it makes it all a bit easy.

One last thing is between the arrival level and departure level is a level with lots of shops to eat. From seeing a lot of airport terminals these do not look to be expensive at all. Sure a bit higher than normal but overall quite reasonable.

Hope this helps someone.

thanxs for that report but i have a cople of question regarding the taxi
on going down one level to go to the meter taxi where outside would you need to go and what level would that be (i asume that would be level 1)
thanxs