Thailand’s military-installed government have decided to re-open Bangkok’s old Don Muang airport, to allow masses of problems at the new and recently opened Suvarnabhumi Airport to be fixed.
The decision has caught the aviation industry by surprise with international airlines warning that the re-opening of the old airport could prove to be very costly and extremely confusing for the millions of tourists who play a key role in the Thai economy.
Albert Tjoeng, a Singapore based spokesman for the IATA said, “For Bangkok to be a strong aviation hub in the region, the long-term vision should still be to have a single airport operation,” adding, “Two airports will split passengers, airlines, the AOT’s resources and will lead to lower cost-efficiency and inconvenience for passengers.”
The troubled Suvarnabhumi Airport, is operated by Airports of Thailand (AOT) operates and opened in September to replace Don Muang, the Government saying that the move back to Don Muang would allow the repair of more than 100 cracks on runways and taxiways in addition to easing traffic congestion at the new airport.
The $3 billion Suvarnabhumi Airport, named “Golden Land” in Thai, was supposed to be a gleaming symbol of modern Thailand, but since its opening, it has been mired in problems, including the cracks, accusations of corruption, poor signs, inadequate toilets and complaints about hygiene standards.
Report by The Mole
