Suvarnabhumi, Bangkoks Corruption Ridden New State-of-Art Airport, Finally to Open

It all started about half a century ago, when political decision was reached to substitute Bangkok interim airport at Don Muang. Some 32 years later constructions was finally started and from on there it has been insider dealing on lucrative contracts and shady land deals, followed by an endless trail of corruption allegations. Not before the now toppled Thaksin administration came into power in 2001 did the project gain much progress. With construction efforts getting geared, so did the alleged cases of nepotism and corruption. Not just the bribes paid set records, Suvarnabhumi itself sets a whole series of them. Like the largest single terminal building, at 563,000 sq m; the tallest control tower; and arguably the world's longest-delayed opening.
"Where all kinds of shady deals took off", Bangkok Post calls its rapport.




Other more recent controversies includes the infamous scanner deal, where the price-tag rose 1.2 billion baht, without anybody being able to explain why or how or where the money went. Not even an independent government commission was able to solve the riddle. The ruling coup leaders have now set up various bodies under the Council for Democratic Reform to look into corruption and the allegations involving the ousted PM and his closets family.

The former government had the originally scheduled the opening of the new airport to the end 2004. The following postponements have been almost as numerous as the scandals. As little as a month ago IATA recommended to postpone the opening to the end of this year. But the leaders of the coup stand firm on opening as planned.

The issue up to the opening is the chaotic transport condition that for the first few years will taint Suvarnabhumi, 25 kilometres southeast of Bangkok. A planned rail link is at least two years behind schedule. But the issue at hand for the next many? governments is to look into are the myriads of scandals of corruption, allegations of favours and nepotism. Some of them might have implications that could effect safety. For the first couple of months I wouldn't like to fly in or out of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi, the "Swamp of Cobras", as the locals call it.

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[edit on 27/9/06 by khunmoon]

I just saw a segment about this on CNN. Doesn't it look a lot like the Denver Airport?

Another airport designed for the NWO?

A lot of the new airports are secret bases for the NWO in future. Look underground to see what is there. The airports are also made to gigantic proportions to move a lot of people eg. processing.

Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's hi-tech wonder ill ridden new airport is now operating without safety certificate.



Bkk Post, Sat, January 27, 2007: Airport has safety pass held back


This has gone on for awhile, but now it's breaking.

The Nation, Fri, January 26, 2007: ...airlines afraid to use new airport



Ever since its opening, in fact years before, it has been despised and unwanted, this multi-billion construction, the golden egg for a couple of generations of politicians, not to mention the investors and their associated pimps and conmen. Like some people will follow them, most they won't.

Only the investors and politicians wanted a new airport. The old BKK airport, Don Mueang had operated, most times congested, but smooth the conditions in mind. But situated about ten kilometres North of the city center on what was once known as Don E Yeo (ดอนอีเหยี่ยว) meaning plateau of eagles and vultures, it is now surrounded by suburban areas.

Please note the original name of the site... -a proper name for a aerodrome- ...compared to the name of the Suvarnabhumi-site, Nong Ngu Hao (หนองงูเห่า), meaning "cobra swamp". The venom greedy bites have left in the process of turning a snake pit into high-tech aerodrome, are now starting to show.

Forget about the sister of the ousted despot, who, taking bids from offers of interior decoration, demanded 25 million from anyone participating in the bid, ...or the missing 1.2 billion for the scanners. Now it's coming down to what has been feared from first on. Flight safety.

Few months after operations started, and now four month on, small cracks in runways and taxiways are turning into risks of safety.

The Nation, Mon, January 22, 2007:Runway cracks widen at Suvarnabhumi


Meanwhile emergency repair goes on thus restricting traffic and flights are now being diverted for refueling to Utapao after circling in queues over Suvarnabhumi.

Congestion has been a problem from day one of operation. Planned and laid out thirty years ago it's already at full capacity. Together with the chaotic conditions of trouble shooting to get a monster like it running, it has created scenes ranging from discomfort to fierce anger from the users of the facility. Lugage handling are claimed to be sluggish, for the first few weeks hardly working, layouts of operational space had to be changed in order to function. Lightning found to be inadequate and sparse, and common problems like faulty pluming are all things you learn to live with in Thailand.

What to do but slaughter a scapegoat.

Bkk Post, Wed, January 24, 2007: Top airport managers face the chop



Here's pictures of the the president and director of the airport.

Little will it help, you have to learn to live with the risk of Suvarnabhumi if you wanna come and go here.

Meanwhile they might discuss for as many years it took to get it up what to do. The problem seems to be a lack of piling of the runways - build on a swamp.

The Nation, Sun, January 28, 2007: Expert warned 15 years ago building on a swamp was trouble


So generally, it comes down to, the forgot to build it on stilks... in Thailand... but they saved a lot of nice money to put in their pocket.

For further informations and discussions on the topic, please see this ATSNN thread.

SCANDAL: BKK's New Airport Loses Safety Certificate and Diverts Traffic back to Old One