now 2 international airports

Post by **PeteC** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:43 pm

Yep, like I said, many ghosts there and a place few realize is even there. Also was home to a half dozen U-2's and a few SR-71's in the distant past, and Air America and..and...and...and. I'm dating myself now. It's all fiction, it never happened, we were never here. Pete

Post by **STEVE G** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:37 pm

The Transport Minister is now saying that Don Muang will be open by March 25th for charter flights and domestic flights with no international connections. Thai, Nok air, One Two Go and PB air will operate 77 flights a day from there.

Post by **STEVE G** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 10:19 pm

Surprise, he was right!

(TNA) -- After a closure of nearly six months, passengers travelling within Thailand Saturday welcomed the reopening of former international airport Don Muang here with nine flights testing the airport by making a landing Saturday evening.

Final touches have been made on the first floor which houses the passenger arrival lounge while workers are busy decorating the second floor where restaurants and souvenir shops will again occupy the area.

One-Two-Go Airlines flying from the southern resort of Phuket will be the first budget commercial aircraft to touch Don Muang as it is scheduled to land at 6.10 pm followed by eight other flights operated by One-Two-Go and two other carriers, Orient Thai and Nok Air.

Starting Sunday, Thai Airways International, the national carrier, will join the three airlines in operating incoming and outgoing domestic flights from Don Muang, closed since September 28 following the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok's neighbouring province of Samut Prakan.

Transport authorities have said the reopening of Don Muang will help ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport as its taxiways and main terminal undergo repairs. There are over 100 cracks in the runways and taxiways at the new airport which is intended to be Southeast Asia's commercial aviation hub.

The new Suvarnabhumi airport has been plagued by several problems and corruption allegations.

Post by **caller** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:15 am

From the beebs news website - more good PR:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 492431.stm

Post by **buksida** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:20 am

How easy is it to get to Swampypoom from Hua Hin? Well signposted? On the expressway?

Also roughly how long does it take and how far out of the city is it? Need to make a run but my navigation skills are below par!

Post by **Nomad** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:28 am

The highway signs are marked but I would suggest you study a map first. Follow the Bangna Port, Din Daeng signs and you will see the airport signs. It is about 45 minutes in non rush from Sukumvit. About 4 hours from Hua Hin. There is a huge parking lot but now you do have to pay for parking.

Post by **PeteC** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:33 pm

My apologies in advance if some if this is incorrect but I think you can go two different ways from HH, in case you get lost. One is to do as Nomad says and head for 'Bangna', get on the elevated tollway heading for Pattaya and some km's down that, you will see exit signs for the airport which is to the left (east). Another way I believe is to head for signs on the Bangkok expressway that say Rama IX and take Rama 9 east also which runs right into the airport further along. Pete

PS: A caution, the MIB are usually posted at the entrance booths to the elevated tollway at Bagna, scoping out vehicles and drivers and then pulling them over randomly.

Post by **STEVE G** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:38 pm

The signs can be a bit confusing but the easiest way is to get on the expressway to Chonburi, you will see the airport from a long way away, look for a very tall concrete control tower on the right.

Post by **buksida** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:55 pm

Can't be arsed with the driving stress and getting lost so hired a wagon and driver instead!

Post by **STEVE G** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:23 pm

Don't blame you! incidentally, when I flew out last week I didn't have to pay the 500 baht service charge, is that normal now?

Post by **Kraka's Dad** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:31 pm

It depends if it has been included in the price of your airticket. Some airlines include it and it is shown on the ticket and some do not and you have to pay the now 700bht.

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:33 pm

STEVE G wrote:Don't blame you! incidentally, when I flew out last week I didn't have to pay the 500 baht service charge, is that normal now?

I've not heard anything about that and when we went back last September we both had to pay the 500 B despite my efforts to get the missus off it as she's Thai. (I wasn't serious with them).
Somehow I just can't see something like airport tax being reduced or dispensed with. Rather the other way round. I could be wrong, but reckon you were just lucky.

Edit: obviously it has changed. Didn't know that.

Post by **Nereus** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:29 pm

lomuamart wrote:
STEVE G wrote:Don't blame you! incidentally, when I flew out last week I didn't have to pay the 500 baht service charge, is that normal now?
Edit: obviously it has changed. Didn't know that.

It has been increased to Bht 700 from the 1st Feburary. Tickets sold after the 1st of November 06 were supposed to have the tax added / included. Depending where you bought the ticket, that may not have happened. The ticket will show if paid or not, and if not you will be asked to pay it at the check-in desk.

Post by **STEVE G** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:48 pm

That explains it, I was walking around like an idiot with 500 baht in my hand trying to find someone to give it to, I couldnâ€™t believe they had got rid of it so I was convinced that it was some kind of trick and I would be asked to pay after Iâ€™d spent my last Baht on Singha in the departure lounge.

Post by **The understudy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:45 pm

Hey you guys look what I found on Bangkokpost.com on Headlines.

Don Muang may host overseas flights again

(Thai News Agency)
Thailand's main airport regulator will soon discuss the possible restoration of international flights at Don Muang Airport, which officially reopened for domestic flights on Sunday, according to a senior official.

Admiral Bannawit Kengrian, head of the National Legislative Assembly committee investigating Suvarnabhumi Airport problems, said that Airports of Thailand plans to renovate passenger lounges for international flights at Don Muang Airport while it awaited a clear policy from the government.

Adm Bannawit, who advises the AoT board chairman, said the board is expected to confer on services to be provided to international airlines at Don Muang during its next meeting.

Don Muang Airport was closed last September 28 on the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok's Samut Prakan province. However, it was officially reopened today for domestic flights as the authorities believe it could help ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport while workers repair cracks in taxiways and runways and build more restrooms and other facilities at the new airport.

Gift shops and restaurant facilities at Don Muang are not yet furnished but Adm Bannawit said he was optimistic they could be completed within a week.

The reopening of Don Muang has sent joy to vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers as they hope their earnings would increase.

Tawatchai Kompairee, a motorcycle taxi driver at Don Muang, said his income had dropped sharply after the closure of the airport almost six months ago and he wanted the government to keep Don Muang opened forever.

Mala Ngernsunthia, a coffee-shop employee at Suvarnabhumi Airport, said she traveled between the new and old airports daily and she hoped that her employer would open a branch at Don Muang if more airlines operate there. If her dream materialises, she said she would not have to travel as far as now.

It would make sense to put some Thailand and some Intertnational Southeastasian flights back to Don Muang again. Those Flights with no further connections for example. Ohh man the now so confusing which Airline is gonna land where and when..