Anything & Everything about Thailand (Part 2)

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Thursday 20 September 2007 :-

International flights may return to Don Mueang Airport

The board of Airports of Thailand (AoT) is to decide today if it will invite non-connecting international flights to return to Don Mueang airport to relieve congestion at Suvarnabhumi. An AoT source said the proposal is in line with a directive from the cabinet asking if better use could be made of Don Mueang.

The cabinet instructed AoT to look into the matter last February when it agreed Don Mueang should reopen for non-connecting domestic flights.

AoT then referred the matter for study to the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The ICAO agreed that non-connecting international flights should follow suit, the source said.

Suvarnabhumi was designed to serve up to 45 million passengers annually. But this year's traffic is expected to rise to 46.7 million passengers, from 43.12 million last year.

Traffic congestion has eased slightly as Thai Airways International, Nok Air and One-Two-Go airlines moved their non-connecting domestic flights back to Don Mueang when it reopened on March 25, 2007.

AoT will invite 25 airlines, including eight no-frills flyers, to move their non-connecting international flights back to Don Mueang on a voluntary basis.

Non-connecting international services of the 25 airlines account for 23% of all flights and 15% of all passengers visiting Suvarnabhumi airport.

If all these international flights return, the passenger volume at Suvarnabhumi airport will drop to about 37.2 million passengers a year. This means the new airport will not reach its saturation point until 2013.

This will also allow AoT to delay investing in Suvarnabhumi's expansion.

Transport permanent secretary Chaisawat Kittipornpaiboon said the tripartite committee agreed yesterday to urge AoT to finalise compensation within the next month for people living around Suvarnabhumi who were subjected to more than 70 decibels of noise.

AoT should conclude agreements to buy the 154 properties currently enduring that noise level.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[Langchai]

I just got back from Bangkok/Pattaya and it was FAAAAAANTASTIC!

Went to Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy in Bangkok, and Walking Street, Soi 6, Soi 7 in Pattaya. Too many bars and gogos to cover in 6 days. There were very beautiful girls aplenty too considering it is the low season.

Had 3 girls overall, sure to find the type you like. The choices are almost endless.

Didn't see many Chinese faces around. Mainly farang and others. Well worth partying there. The next time I go may post in advance so that anyone interested can go together.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 26 September 2007 :-

Pilot given wind shear warning before crash - Inquiry waiting on evidence from US

The pilot of the ill-fated One-Two-Go flight received a wind shear warning from the air traffic controller at Phuket airport before the airliner crashed in flames, killing 89 of those on board. Transport permanent secretary Chaisawat Kittipornpaiboon, who is heading the inquiry into the tragedy, said yesterday the pilot of another flight - which landed at Phuket airport ahead of One-Two-Go flight 269 - told the inquiry he had asked the control tower to pass on his warning of a microburst problem to the One-Two-Go pilot.

The control tower then relayed the warning.

Mr Chaisawat said his committee still could not say who should be held responsible for the crash, but the cause must be established quickly for future air safety.

His inquiry had gathered evidence from the crash site and information on the health of the pilots, communication between the pilots and the control tower, and the weather conditions at the time of the Sept 16 crash.

''The condition of the plane was fine and the pilots' health was also good,'' Mr Chaisawat said.

All the available information pointed to the same possible cause of the crash, he said, but declined to reveal what it was. He insisted the inquiry must wait for the report on the analysis of the information on the flight data and voice recorders now being examined in the United States.

''Although the available information all points in the same direction and should be enough, I cannot announce the cause now. Otherwise, it would be a guessing game. Data from the flight recorder is very important,'' Mr Chaisawat said.

''The decoding of the flight recorder data is proceeding well and should be finished by tomorrow,'' he said.

His committee would meet again early next month to discuss the results.

If information from the flight recorders matched the committee's evidence, it should not take too long to wrap up the investigation.

''But if the information does not match, the committee would need outside experts to help with a conclusion on the cause and that could be time consuming,'' he said.

Wutthichai Singmanee, director of air safety at the Civil Aviation Department, said a wind shear warning did not necessarily mean the pilot could not land, because wind shear does not occur readily and usually dissipates quickly.

Pol Col Nitthi Bunthuwong, a member of the body identification team, said 86 of the bodies of the victims had now been identified.

Only three Iranian bodies remained to be identified.

According to the airline, 54 foreigners and 35 Thais were killed in the crash.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 26 September 2007 :-

Thai AirAsia promotes youthful fleet

Thai AirAsia has begun a new campaign featuring its new Airbus A320 jetliner, a move that coincides with public concerns over the use of old aircraft by no-frills carriers following the Sept 16 One-Two-Go Airline crash.

The ''new aircraft, red plate'' campaign was planned before the Phuket crash that killed 89 people, noted Tassapon Bijleveld, the CEO of Thai AirAsia.

''The newness of the aircraft would certainly help to improve the image of low-cost carriers and of Thai AirAsia,'' he said yesterday.

The first of the 40 twin-jet planes ordered from the European planemaker Airbus will begin service on Oct 21, with the second one due in November and the third in December, said Mr Tassapon.

All 40 of the new A320s will be gradually added to the fleet over the next five years. The existing fleet of 14 ageing and fuel-thirsty Boeing 737-300s, each with 148 seats, will be retired over the next two years.

''It goes without saying that by using new aircraft, it implies greater safety and passengers can have better peace of mind,'' Mr Tassapon said.

Before the One-Two-Go crash, none of Thailand's three budget airlines - including Nok Airlines and Thai AirAsia - had been involved in a major accident.

However, Indonesia has had three accidents involving budget carriers, in which more than 120 people have died.

Meanwhile, Mr Tassapon said the load factor of Thai AirAsia remained high in the aftermath of the Phuket crash, which took place after a 24-year-old MD-82 jet skidded off a runway while landing in driving wind and rain.

''We are not losing any traffic, even on the Bangkok-Phuket sector, as passengers understand that accidents do happen,'' he said.

The airline's bookings over the next three months are still strong, he added.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[Red_Tirak1099]

Bro KL69, thanks for all the aircrash related news.....any news abt the current situation in Myanmar? Thanks in advance

[KatoeyLover69]

Originally Posted by Red_Tirak1099

Bro KL69, thanks for all the aircrash related news.....any news abt the current situation in Myanmar? Thanks in advance

Glad to know that you appreciate reading the articles.....

As for news about the current situation in Myanmar, there are plenty of news ....... but I am NOT going to post them here ...... otherwise the other Samsters are going to jump on me and flame me ! ...... I'm sure you know where to access the news about Myanmar

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 28 September 2007 :-

Suvarnabhumi still plagued by problems - A year after it opened, just half of repairs done

One year after its opening for commercial flights, Suvarnabhumi international airport is still plagued by a host of problems with only half of them having been fixed.

When it was unveiled on Sept 28 last year, the airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district was portrayed by Airports of Thailand (Aot) as a new, important landmark that Thais would be proud of. Instead, the airport is being remembered for all its flaws and scandals which can be traced back to the previous Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The airport has faced a host of problems ranging from cracks in its runways to jammed halls and leaking roofs. And all the blame has been heaped on AoT.

The agency has just released its annual report on the first year of Suvarnabhumi's operations. Almost the entire report is devoted to telling the public what problems have already been fixed and what will be done to improve Suvarnabhumi and eventually make it a key regional airport to rival those in Singapore and Hong Kong. AoT also pledges to make Suvarnabhumi one of the world's top ten airports in the next two years.

The AoT report only gives a sketchy picture of the flaws found at the airport so far. However, another report compiled by a panel set up to monitor the progress and problems at Suvarnabhumi provides more details that paint a worrying picture of the airport.

The panel, led by Civil Aviation Department director-general Chaisak Angkhasuwan, has found 61 problems at the airport and to date only 30 of them have been fixed.

The 61 problems were identified in the 104-page report which also offers solutions for them, according to Yodyiam Teptaranon, a member of the panel and the AoT board.

The report puts the problems into three categories: those involving the terminal, including structural flaws; those concerning information technology and operations, and service problems.

To deal with problems in the first category, AoT has so far provided more chairs and trolleys for use inside the terminal, improved signs, built another 204 restrooms to add to the original 1,464 and provided more space for passengers in the arrival hall.

But the report also shows concern over the lack of progress in the work to remove the electrical circuit control board from the upper floor of the passenger terminal for safety reasons.

There are now 1,050 security surveillance cameras inside the airport's passenger terminal, according to AoT. However, the report says more close-circuit cameras are needed for better security. The airport also needs more security equipment and personnel with a better management to deal with emergencies.

Also, the report says Suvarnabhumi's information technology system should be upgraded to have, among other things, a centralised IT security policy, a bomb bunker, and a dedicated telephone line to alert authorities in case of emergency.

It also suggests that airport restaurants improve their service, more telephones and internet outlets be provided for airport users, and better handling of passengers' luggage.

Suvarnabhumi airport director Serirat Prasutanond said AoT was aware of all the problems and was working hard to solve them.

The Council for National Security, which staged a coup that toppled the Thaksin government just 10 days before the opening of Suvarnabhumi, has made Gen Saprang Kalaynamitr chairman of the AoT board to deal with the problems faced by the airport.

Gen Saprang's main task is to tackle all irregularities including certain commercial contracts that are believed to benefit some politicians and officials.

However, a source in the AoT board said there has been very little progress. The problem lies in the fact the board had to deal with so many problems ranging from runway cracks to a shortage of restrooms that it could not focus on big issues. the source said.

The story is part of a series on the first anniversary of Suvarnabhumi airport.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 30 September 2007 :-

Drive against airport's illegal taxis at Suvarnabhumi airport losing steam - Mafia gangs trying hard to bring them back

Police are worried illegal taxi drivers and tour guides will reappear at Suvarnabhumi airport under the influence of three mafia gangs, which still flourish thanks to alleged support by high-ranking military officers and politicians.

Despite success in tackling them in recent months, some persistent taxi drivers and tourist guides have been seen recently at the airport, as the state crackdown on these illegal businesses begins to lose steam.

"They will come back if our suppression efforts tail off," said deputy commissioner of Police Region 1 Wut Liptapanlop.

One tour agent at the airport claimed police reduced the fines they imposed on taxi drivers, which persuaded them to come back to the airport to run their illegal service again.

Pol Maj-Gen Wut said police had arrested 320 illegal taxi drivers and tour guides since June 1 in a joint operation between tourist police and the Airports of Thailand to wipe out illegal businesses.

Many wrongdoers were found affiliated to 36 companies which run 3,000 taxis altogether, Pol Maj-Gen Wut said.

The firms are reportedly directed by three mafia gangs.

Police know about the gangs, but have not been able to reach the people who run them.

Most familiar to the police are three mafia figures, identified as "Je Tik," with alleged connections to a military general, "Puyai Daeng," who claimed he was a close aide to a politician, and "Sak Pak Phanang," leader of an influential group from Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Many taxi drivers and tour guides were willing to pay money to these gangs in exchange for protection against police and airport officials, so they can go in and out the airport freely.

Among the arrested wrongdoers, 35 have been caught twice or more before.

Illegal taxi drivers are fined 2,000 baht at the most if they break the vehicle law.

Pol Maj-Gen Wut said the Revenue Department had been asked to enforce a tax law against the 36 companies, which earned money illegally.

The law demands that they report to the government their earnings and pay tax.

Violators would be jailed and fined up to two million baht.

The mafia gangs, whose taxis run an average of 350 trips a day, had made nearly 275 million baht since the airport officially opened on Sept 28 last year, according to police.

"We have to suppress them because illegal taxi drivers often rob and injure passengers, which mars the country's image," Pol Maj-Gen Wut said. ---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 30 September 2007 :-

Drive against airport's illegal taxis at Suvarnabhumi airport losing steam - Mafia gangs trying hard to bring them back

Police are worried illegal taxi drivers and tour guides will reappear at Suvarnabhumi airport under the influence of three mafia gangs, which still flourish thanks to alleged support by high-ranking military officers and politicians.

Despite success in tackling them in recent months, some persistent taxi drivers and tourist guides have been seen recently at the airport, as the state crackdown on these illegal businesses begins to lose steam.

"They will come back if our suppression efforts tail off," said deputy commissioner of Police Region 1 Wut Liptapanlop.

One tour agent at the airport claimed police reduced the fines they imposed on taxi drivers, which persuaded them to come back to the airport to run their illegal service again.

Pol Maj-Gen Wut said police had arrested 320 illegal taxi drivers and tour guides since June 1 in a joint operation between tourist police and the Airports of Thailand to wipe out illegal businesses.

Many wrongdoers were found affiliated to 36 companies which run 3,000 taxis altogether, Pol Maj-Gen Wut said.

The firms are reportedly directed by three mafia gangs.

Police know about the gangs, but have not been able to reach the people who run them.

Most familiar to the police are three mafia figures, identified as "Je Tik," with alleged connections to a military general, "Puyai Daeng," who claimed he was a close aide to a politician, and "Sak Pak Phanang," leader of an influential group from Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Many taxi drivers and tour guides were willing to pay money to these gangs in exchange for protection against police and airport officials, so they can go in and out the airport freely.

Among the arrested wrongdoers, 35 have been caught twice or more before.

Illegal taxi drivers are fined 2,000 baht at the most if they break the vehicle law.

Pol Maj-Gen Wut said the Revenue Department had been asked to enforce a tax law against the 36 companies, which earned money illegally.

The law demands that they report to the government their earnings and pay tax.

Violators would be jailed and fined up to two million baht.

The mafia gangs, whose taxis run an average of 350 trips a day, had made nearly 275 million baht since the airport officially opened on Sept 28 last year, according to police.

"We have to suppress them because illegal taxi drivers often rob and injure passengers, which mars the country's image," Pol Maj-Gen Wut said.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 3 October 2007 :-

Thai dish's charred chilli dip causes terror alert in London

Wearing specialist breathing equipment, fire crews sealed off the area in Soho, London on Monday and began a three-hour hunt to find the source of the eye-watering stench, the Guardian online reported.

The online said when a noxious cloud sent shoppers running in panic on the streets of London, emergency services feared the capital was under chemical attack.

Wearing specialist breathing equipment, fire crews sealed off the area in Soho on Monday afternoon and began a three-hour hunt to find the source of the eye-watering stench while a hazardous area response team stood by, fearing the worst.

Three streets were closed and people evacuated from the area as the search was carried out. After locating the source at about 7pm, emergency crews smashed their way into the Thai Cottage restaurant in D'Arblay Street only to emerge with a 9lb pot of smouldering dried chillies.

Baffled chef Chalemchai Tangjariyapoon, who had been cooking a spicy dip, was amazed to find himself at the centre of the terror scare.

"We only cook it once a year - it's a spicy dip with extra hot chillies that are deliberately burned," he said.

"To us it smells like burned chilli and it is slightly unusual. I can understand why people who weren't Thai would not know what it was but it doesn't smell like chemicals. I'm a bit confused."

Staff at the restaurant had already been evacuated by the time the dip was discovered. Supranee Yodmuang, a Thai Cottage waitress said: "The first we knew about it was at about 4.30 in the afternoon when the fire brigade came. They led us out to where the streets had been cordoned off and we waited there for about three hours.

"They said there was a chemical smell and I remember saying to someone that maybe the smell was the chillies but then we said that was not possible.

"When we came back at 7.30pm we saw the door had been smashed and there were fire brigade and police waiting outside. I was a bit scared but they were very nice about it."

The spicy dip, which is a speciality at the restaurant, is made from charred chillies, garlic flakes, dried shrimps, palm sugar, shrimp paste, tamarind and vegetable oil.

The restaurant, which has been open for 17 years, is considering putting up posters to warn the public during future chilli cooking sessions.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 3 October 2007 :-

Thailand-Malaysia bridge to open in Dec 2007

Thailand and Malaysia are expected to forge even closer ties after the Thailand-Malaysia Friendship bridge opens on December 14.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi are both expected to attend an official ceremony to declare the bridge open, according to sources.

The bridge links Wang district of Narathiwat province on the Thai side to the state of Kelantan in Malaysia.

Narathiwat governor Karan Supakitwilekkan explained that the bridge was a symbol of friendship between both countries and said that more bridges have already been planned.

“The next bridge will probably begin in Sungai-Kolok district of Narathiwat. It will allow the two countries to exchange cultural and educational knowledge and, in turn, help boost each other’s economy,” he said.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 3 October 2007 :-

Thailand-Malaysia bridge to open in Dec 2007

Thailand and Malaysia are expected to forge even closer ties after the Thailand-Malaysia Friendship bridge opens on December 14.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi are both expected to attend an official ceremony to declare the bridge open, according to sources.

The bridge links Wang district of Narathiwat province on the Thai side to the state of Kelantan in Malaysia.

Narathiwat governor Karan Supakitwilekkan explained that the bridge was a symbol of friendship between both countries and said that more bridges have already been planned.

“The next bridge will probably begin in Sungai-Kolok district of Narathiwat. It will allow the two countries to exchange cultural and educational knowledge and, in turn, help boost each other’s economy,” he said.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 6 October 2007 :-

No surprises in Phuket air crash probe

The information decoded so far from the black box flight recorder of the ill-fated One-Two-Go airliner is said to match the findings of an investigating team which carried out the initial plane crash inquiry in Phuket on Sept 16.

Wuthichai Singhamanee, director of the Aviation Department's Flight Safety Standards Bureau and member of the crash investigation committee, said data from the plane's black box in a lot of ways matched the initial findings of his panel's probe, including communication between the pilot and the control tower, the weather and aircraft conditions.

He declined to elaborate on the details, saying that his panel would meet on Oct 12 to thoroughly analyse the results of the decoded information, which covers more than 30 areas.

Each area still needs to be carefully analysed before the release of the final results, he said.

The initial investigation at the crash site indicated that the One-Two-Go flight's pilot had ignored a wind shear warning from an air traffic controller, which was passed on by the pilot of another flight which landed at the airport minutes ahead of the One-Two-Go flight which crashed in flames after an unusually hard landing.

The flight recorder's information has also ended speculation that the pilot and the aircraft were not in good condition.

Mr Wuthichai also defended the safety standards of the One-Two-Go airline, saying it had met all the safety standard requirements in line with what is laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

In addition, he said, planes registered in Thailand cannot take to the air before receiving airworthiness certificates.

Officials from the Aviation Department are sent to examine the planes before the certificates are issued.

Under ICAO regulations, planes are also subject to pre-flight inspections.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 7 October 2007 :-

Governor promises no major Bangkok floods

Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin assured the public Sunday that capital city residents living along the river would not be hard hit by floods during the current rainy season.

Mr. Apirak expressed his confidence after inspecting an embankment now under construction along the Chao Phraya River.

Construction of the embankment is now almost finished, he added. About 62.5 kilometres has been completed, with only 14.5 kilometres still to be built. The embankment is as long as 77 kilometres and is expected to be completed in 2010. It could prevent floodwaters from reaching inner Bangkok at the maximum level of 2.40 meters.

Mr. Apirak said people living along the river and nearby canals suffered heavily in the past two years during monsoon season as their homes were inundated by floodwaters overflowing river and canal banks.

While construction continues, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) labourers have placed sandbags along the banks to prevent floodwaters below 2.40 meters from entering people's homes, said Mr. Apirak.

Water level here has peaked at around 1.5-1.7 metres while not too many houses are below these levels, he said, adding that BMA workers have been ordered to provide help to flood victims.

He cited a forecast made by the Naval Hydrographic Department as saying that seawaters would rise to its peak again on October 27 and that floods could occur only from the amount of rainfall from now until that date.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 8 October 2007 :-

Ambassador Hotel has high hopes for upgrade

The Ambassador Hotel hopes its 500-million-baht renovation campaign will help revive its position as one of the leading hotels in the Sukhumvit area.

"We want to re-position this hotel as one of the leading hotels in the Sukhumvit area, just as it used to be 15 years ago," said Michael Perdikaris, the hotel's recently appointed general manager.

The renovation, launched in July and expected to be completed in mid-2009, is the first in the hotel's 30-year history.

Mr Perdikaris said the renovations would help upgrade the Ambassador to a four-star hotel from three now, as well as eventually lead to a 30% increase in revenues over the next several years.

Total rooms of the tower and main wings would increase to 820 from 760 now, with the service apartment wing also expanded to 140 units from 69.

"There are many new hotels coming up in Bangkok and the existing players are also moving to upgrade. The competition in the market is very tough," Mr Perdikaris said.

The Ambassador would also be rebranded and shift management to a global hotel network to help strengthen its customer base.

Mr Perdikaris, a veteran of the Accor group with former positions with the Novotel Hydro Majestic Kuala Lumpur, the Novotel Bangkok and the Sofitel Palm Resort in Johor Bahru, said he was confident that the Ambassador could regain its position in the competitive Sukhumvit market.

The renovation focuses on updating the hotel's image to a more contemporary Thai style, he said.

The Ambassador would continue to target both business convention travelers and tourists, as well as looking to expand to the corporate and airline markets, Mr Perdikaris said, adding that the hotel has also launched a new staff training programme.
---- KatoeyNewsNetwork