Bangkok to have two international airports

[Scumbag]

Lifted from Thai Visa:

 

BREAKING NEWS:

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 2007-02-06

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Cabinet approves 2 international airports for Bangkok

 

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's government in its weekly cabinet meeting Tuesday agreed to reopen the former Don Muang airport for both domestic and international flights, making it an additional international airport to supplement the problem-plagued new Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters after the meeting that the cabinet resolution to let Bangkok have two international airports is to cater for growing number of passengers.

 

During this time Don Muang airport must be readied as another international airport, the prime minister said, without giving further detail.

 

The former facility was decommissioned as Bangkok's primary airport in September when Suvarnabhumi was opened. But cracks in the new airport's runways and taxiways prompted the Transport Ministry to recommend to reopen Don Muang airport temporarily for non-connecting domestic flights to ease the burden on the new airport.

 

Transport Minister Thira Haocharoen said the detailed plan to transfer some flights as well as moving facilities back to the old airport will be concluded within two weeks before presenting it for the cabinet's consideration.

 

Forty-five days after the cabinet's consideration, Don Muang airport is expected to resume operation, the minister said.

 

--TNA 2007-02-06

[layow]

Now I would imagine all/most the experienced staff were transfered from dm to sp.

 

Who is going to staff dm now??!!!!

[matey]

sorry i have just duplicated this good news on transportation

 

how to reduce unemployment

[Scumbag]

Looks like the airlines aren't happy about this..

 

Airlines oppose return to Don Muang

 

(BangkokPost.com)

 

The Airline Operators Committee said Wednesday on behalf of the more than 65 airlines and travel bodies that it opposes the government's decision to reopen Don Muang airport, saying having two international airports could cause confusion among travellers.

 

In addition to causing confusion, said AOC chair Sopin Daengteth, there is no public transportation system linking the two airports, which are close to 50 kilometres apart at opposite ends of Bangkok.

 

"I'm surprised by the decision," she said, adding that the Transport Ministry and relavent agencies should have asked for AOC's opinions before even proposing such at move at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

 

She said travellers' comfort should come first. And without an airport rail link, there was no convenience.

 

But if the government persisted, she suggested that Thai Airways International should remain entirely based at Suvarnabhumi, with low-cost airlines moved back to Don Muang Airport.

 

For international airlines, she said it should depend on their decisions whether they would like to move back to Bangkok's old airport.