THAILAND: Red-faced officials vow to solve teething problems at Bangkok's newly opened mega-airport

The first passengers to step into Bangkok's new multi-billion dollar Suvarnabhumi airport arrived early on Thursday (September 28) to little fanfare. Only several Thai traditional dancers and a troupe of musicians greeted early arrivals to a small song and dance. The 4 billion U.S. dollars (USD) mega-project which opened officially Thursday was adopted by ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who took it upon himself to set deadlines for its much-delayed completion. To critics, the sprawling building which boasts the world's largest airport terminal, the world's largest hangar, and world's tallest control tower, embodied the hype, corruption scandals and CEO-style of the Thaksin era. But with its biggest patron holed up in London after being overthrown in a bloodless coup last week, no glitzy ceremony was held to greet passengers arriving on the first flights. At the 252 international and 108 domestic immigration counters, passengers were spared snaking queues that often characterised Don Muang, the former gateway to Thailand. "I purposely made this flight, I wanted to come to the new airport, that's why I came, just for the airport," Montie Bajaj from Delhi, India, told Reuters. And fanfare or not, passengers were evidently pleased with the spanking new 563,000 sq metres terminal that greeted them, with many noting it was a far cry from the dingy old terminals that marked old Don Muang airport. "I think it's better. And well now it's just brand new so it's, everything is cleaner, and everything is very nice. But yeah, it's probably better than older airports that we know," Costa Rican traveller Alan Fallas said. Another said the billion-dollar futuristic complex was worth every penny. "It's worth the cost, it's much better than the old airport," said Thai passenger Pracha Chotvilaivanich. Since the first survey in the 1960s of the airport site 25 km (15 miles) from Bangkok, the project has been mired in construction delays and cost overruns. The rush to adhere to Thursday's opening deadline had given rise to airline industry fears that Bangkok's new automated baggage handling machines and other systems were not tested adequately. Indeed, as passenger traffic steadily increased into the first day, there were complaints of delays and long waits in retrieving baggage at the arrival hall. A German passenger waiting by an empty baggage carousel said he had waited close to an hour. "I waiting here about 45 minutes. It's a record in my life, around the world. But old airport, very quick, about 10 minutes. That's normal, first day, I understand, but I very tired, I want to go home," he said. Over at the departures, Thai Airways reported some 200 bags had missed their outward flights. Airport authorities had also been forced to call up army cadets to assist with baggage as the airport backed up into a semi-manual system. Wancgau Sarathulthat, Chairman, Thai Airways International explained told reporters that an investigation is underway,"There are many details to look into for this issue (baggage delays) so that's why we need officials from both sides (Airports Of Thailand and Thai Airways) to discuss it and we'll try to complete it by today and refine it by today to ensure continued service for passengers." Suvarnabhumi (prono: soo-var-na-poom) means Golden Land in Thai and the airport is poised to be a serious rival to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. In fact, the Thai Transport Ministry has set the airport an ambitious target of two years to be best in the world. The new airport is just another new addition in the heated race to be Southeast Asia's busiest air hub, says Brian Sinclair-Thompson, president of the Board of Airlines Representatives Thailand. "I just think now competition is increasing. We're being made aware that in Ho Chi Minh city for eg. a $100 million passenger airport within the next 15 years will add to the intensity of the competition, but that's nothing unusual, that's mirrored in Europe and that's mirrored more recently in the Middle East where you have several hubs now being developed, mega hubs," Sinclair-Thompson said. By-and-large, the massive complex which will be able to handle 45 million passengers a year when it hits top gear appeared to have swung into action smoothly. With 12 million tourists a year visiting Thailand and aspirations to being a regional trading and meeting centre, successive governments in Bangkok have deemed a replacement for its ageing, single-runway Don Muang airport necessary. Delayed by a succession of military coups and the 1997 Asian financial crisis, it finally came into being under the administration of billionaire Thaksin. asia/gc

ITN Source | September 27, 2006

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