VZCZCXRO0816
RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHBK #0548/01 0290000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290000Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4387
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3186
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 8781

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 000548 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SINGAPORE FOR FAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR TH
SUBJECT: TARMAC, PUBLIC CONFIDENCE CRACKING AT NEW THAI 
AIRPORT 
 
REF: A. 06 BANGKOK 6141 
 
     ¶B. 05 BANGKOK 3204 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport has been 
taking a beating in the press, with reports critical of the 
airport's design, construction, and management.  There has 
been recent speculation that cracking pavement could result 
in the return of some or all operations to the old Don Muang 
Airport.  Real problems exist at Suvarnabhumi Airport that 
will probably require significant time and money to correct, 
but transfer of operations back to Don Muang is unlikely and 
the safety of air operations is not presently at risk.  End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------- 
Suvarnabhumi Horror Stories 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Four months after opening (ref. A) Bangkok's new 
Suvarnabhumi Airport (SA), intended to be a showcase and a 
candidate for the leading regional air hub, has attracted a 
steady stream of bad press.  Reports of early growing pains, 
from computer glitches to long waits for baggage, have given 
way to more serious concerns about cracking in the tarmac. 
In recent days the problems at the airport have been 
front-page news in both of Bangkok's English-language 
dailies. 
 
¶3.  (U) On January 25 six arriving flights were diverted to 
Thailand's Utapao Airport as a result of repairs to one of 
SA's runways.  The Minister of Transportation was quoted as 
saying that some airlines were afraid to fly into SA because 
of safety concerns.  The papers report extensive cracking in 
the airport tarmac, especially the taxiways, but also 
including the runways. 
 
¶4.  (U) Suvarnabhumi has also drawn criticism for poor 
design, for example allocating insufficient space in front of 
the arrival exits, and providing an inadequate number of 
restrooms. 
 
------------------------------- 
Corruption Allegations Continue 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The continuing problems at SA have fueled and been 
fueled by the current government's ongoing corruption 
investigations into the Thaksin administration.  To early 
questions about the acquisition of baggage scanners (ref. B) 
have been added questions about how the monopoly 
concessionaire for commercial space obtained its concession - 
and then unilaterally occupied 50% more space than contracted 
for in the terminal.  The cracking in the pavement has 
further raised speculation that the construction process 
itself was rife with corruption. 
 
--------------------- 
Don Muang as Solution 
--------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Some of the recent press reports have speculated that 
some or all air operations could be moved back to the old Don 
Muang Airport.  This speculation has mostly revolved around 
domestic flights, especially those operated by budget 
carriers, but has also included the possibility that all 
operations could return.  The move would be justified by the 
need to make repairs to SA, as well as by the crowding that 
the new airport is already facing. 
 
¶7.  (U) Tying the discussion of reopening Don Muang to the 
problems at SA is somewhat misleading.  Before SA ever opened 
there was already talk about using Don Muang for the budget 
airlines.  One contact remarked that a conspiracy theorist 
might say that some low cost airlines might be deliberately 
raising safety concerns in order to promote the reopening of 
Don Muang. 
 
----------------------------- 
Problems Real, But Over-Hyped 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) The problems at SA are very real, although probably 
over-hyped.  Cracking on the tarmac is a significant problem 
and is likely to get worse.  Most of the cracking, however, 
affects the taxiways; there have been few problems identified 
with the runways.  Although several contact gates have been 
closed because of the cracking, airport operations officials 
 
BANGKOK 00000548  002 OF 003 
 
 
report that this is due to the closure of a deficient taxiway 
providing access to these gates, not due to problems with the 
gates themselves.  Repair work to this taxiway is expected to 
be completed by the end of February. 
 
¶9.  (U) The problems identified with the runways have all 
been corrected, and the safety of aircraft take-offs and 
landings should not be endangered at present.  During the 
recent work on one end of one runway the usable length was 
limited, forcing the delays that, combined with heavy 
traffic, resulted in the diversions to Utapao.  This repair 
work has now been completed. 
 
¶10.  (U) Airlines report that no official advisories have 
been issued to airlines to avoid any areas of the runways. 
One contact with a U.S.-flag carrier expressed no 
reservations about the safety of air operations at SA, and 
further said that he was not aware that any other airlines 
had serious questions. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) One knowledgeable contact in Thailand's Department 
of Civil Aviation (DCA) expressed the opinion that the tarmac 
problems would likely be a continuing issue.  Speculating on 
the cause of the problems he dismissed the popular notion 
that the cracks stem from inadequate drainage and water 
levels in the ground under the airport.  Instead he 
questioned the quality of the construction and the materials 
used in building the surface.  To his eye the bonding between 
the pavement layers was inadequate.  He suggested that 
testing was required by an independent inspector to 
definitively determine the causes of the problems. 
 
------------------------- 
"Certification" Questions 
------------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) Some observers have noted that SA's certification 
from the DCA expired on January 25, and have questioned the 
legal status of the airport to operate after that date. 
According to Thai law, there are two ways for airports to 
operate legally.  One is to have a license.  The second 
option, under which most of Thailand's airports operate, is 
for the Minister of Transportation to issue a proclamation 
designating an area of land for the use of aircraft landings 
and take-offs.  This Ministerial proclamation was made for 
the Suvarnabhumi airport grounds in 1973. 
 
¶13.  (U) It was only at the request of the Airports of 
Thailand Public Company (AOT, the operator of SA) that the 
DCA issued a preliminary 'certification' prior to the opening 
of the airport.  The certification was preliminary since the 
DCA could not properly evaluate the operation of the airport 
until it was operating. 
 
¶14.  (U) Following an ICAO finding that Thailand's aviation 
law is not compliant with the Chicago Convention, this law is 
currently under revision.  The revised law is expected to be 
issued in mid 2007.  The new law will require public airports 
to be certified by the DCA, which will follow ICAO standards 
in doing so. 
 
------------------ 
Leadership Change? 
------------------ 
 
¶15.  (U) The mushrooming problems at SA have almost 
inevitably lead to speculation that the senior leadership at 
AOT may be replaced.  The main target is AOT President 
Chotisak Asapaviriya.  Chotisak makes an inviting target, 
having been brought into AOT under the Taksin administration 
only in 2006.  He has also been criticized for a management 
style that created an environment where working level 
personnel were reluctant to make decisions.  Airline contacts 
have expressed exasperation dealing with Chotisak and AOT in 
general, and have greeted his possible replacement with 
relief.  To date AOT's leadership has remained in place, but 
change may be imminent. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶16. (U) The problems at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport are 
very real, and are unlikely to be resolved soon.  Even if the 
present problems are corrected on schedule, all indications 
point to the emergence of further pavement cracking on the 
taxiways and parking areas.  Despite its deficiencies in 
 
BANGKOK 00000548  003 OF 003 
 
 
management - and public relations acumen - AOT continues to 
conduct basic air operations in a satisfactory and safe 
manner.  At the present time safety is not really in question 
at SA.  What certainly is in question is the extent of the 
negative impact that the abysmal publicity has or may have on 
Thailand's ambition to become the region's principal air hub. 
BOYCE