Expect Swampy Delays

[reader]

Thai Airways International reports that it is fully prepared for the anticipated delays during the scheduled  repairs on one of its runways at Suvarnabhumi airport between Mar. 3 and May 5.

 

The airline also prepared to use an alternate airport if necessary

 

Passengers are advised to allow extra time during the repair period.
 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transport/1204201/thai-warns-of-delays-during-runway-repairs

[fedssocr]

thanks for posting this. I had no idea this was going on

[reader]

Long delays described below bear no connection the the planned runway work but was caused by understaffed immigration check points.

 

From Coconuts

 

Foreign tourists were stranded in a long line at the immigration checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday morning.

 

Morning News showed a video of a paranoia-inducing long line of travelers queuing at the immigration checkpoint to leave Thailand as only six out of eighteen counters were open for service around 8am on Sunday.  

 

The influx of travelers caused the line to stretch from the immigration checkpoint all the way to the check-in area, according to government radio channel JS100.

 

http://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/crazy-queue-suvarnabhumi-airports-immigration-causes-travelers-miss-flights/

[Alexx]

"All the way to the check-in area", so it was actually an OUTflux of travelers. And indeed, the photos I saw were from outbound immigration.

 

Here's my revolutionary suggestion: Get rid of outbound immigration altogether. It's a waste of space and time; if the U.S. doesn't need it, neither does Thailand.

[reader]

If you're headed into or out of the Silom-Sathorn area, prepare for even more bad news during much of the same period that runway work is under way.

From Bangkok Post

The Thai-Belgian bridge on Rama IV Road in Pathumwan district will be closed for 30-45 days for repairs after its steel structure was damaged by a fierce fire among some garbage bins stored underneath it on Tuesday morning.

Thiti Songcharoenkij, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Construction and Maintenance Office, said a preliminary examination found the steel beams on the outbound (heading to Klong Toey) were bent after being scorched by the fire for an extended period, causing the traffic surface to subside.

The city's traffic would certainly be affected by the closure of four traffic lanes.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1206404/thai-belgian-bridge-to-be-closed-up-to-45-days

 

 

[reader]

From The Nation

Airlines have resumed using both runways of Suvarnabhumi International Airport after maintenance on the northern end of the airport's east runway was completed two days ahead of schedule. 

The reopening of the east runway means to airport is again operating at normal capacity - two runways servicing 68 flights per hour, Airports of Thailand's (AOT) Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager Sirote Duangratana said. 

The completion of the maintenance work meant all aircraft, including the superjumbo Airbus A380, began using the east runway again from 7am on Monday following an inspection and safety tests, he said.

The work began on March 3.

Sirote said the runway improvement enabled the airport to accommodate increased flights and support the country's growth in air transport.

 

[TMax]

Just so long as all this is sorted before July

[Gwydion62]

There's likely to be some construction either at airport or en route to Pattaya for a long time.

They're meant to be extending Swampy, making the 'Chonburi corridor' a special investment zone, extending U-Tapao, building a new railway, upgrading the roads, building another underpass on Sukhumvit near Pattaya once they finally finish the first one etc etc.

[lilbob69]

There's likely to be some construction either at airport or en route to Pattaya for a long time.

They're meant to be extending Swampy, making the 'Chonburi corridor' a special investment zone, extending U-Tapao, building a new railway, upgrading the roads, building another underpass on Sukhumvit near Pattaya once they finally finish the first one etc etc.

 

Extending U-Tapao is interesting. On one hand I enjoy my direct flight into BKK not so much the drive to Pattaya. With the Pattaya airport expansion more international flights will happen. I doubt there will be a direct flight from Perth unfortunately. But I might be able to get connecting flights from Singapore or KL without the overnight stay