VZCZCXRO7210
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #3540/01 3381027
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031027Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5287
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 6590
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9264
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 5120
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE 5019
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI IMMEDIATE 5941
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY IMMEDIATE 0859
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003540 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, CA, EEB, DS 
TRANSPORTATION FOR TSA 
STATE PASS TO USTR 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
COMMERCE FOR EAP/MAC/OKSA 
SINGAPORE FOR FINATT BAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC CMGT EAIR EFIN PGOV PREL ETRD TH
SUBJECT: DECEMBER 3: UPDATE ON THAILAND'S AIRPORT AND 
AIRLINE SITUATION 
 
REF: BANGKOK 3532 (DECEMBER 2: UPDATE) 
 
BANGKOK 00003540  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary: Anti-government protesters claimed 
victory and departed Thailand's airports December 3 after the 
high court dissolved several political parties and the prime 
minister stepped down December 2.  The Airports of Thailand 
(AOT) reports that Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's international 
airport, will reopen by Friday, December 5 although a few 
Thai Airways flights have begun already.  AOT says there 
appears to be no apparent damage from the week long 
occupation by anti-government demonstrators.  U.S. airline 
executives also state they are prepared to begin flights on 
December 5.  Before flights to the United States can begin, 
the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will 
first conduct a security analysis of Suvarnabhumi.  The 
Embassy continues to explore options for chartering a flight 
to transport stranded Americans to Singapore or a regional 
transit point, although this may no longer be necessary given 
that Suvarnabhumi seems to be going operational sooner than 
expected.  End Summary. 
 
Airport Conditions 
------------------ 
¶2.  (SBU)  Anti-government demonstrators have departed 
Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports.  AOT also reports 
equipment at the two airports, including the control towers, 
appears to be undamaged and no sensitive equipment at the 
airports was compromised.  Airport staff are beginning to 
return to work.  AOT released statements to the media that 
the Suvarnabhumi Airport will reopen by December 5, 
coinciding with King Bhumibol's birthday.  One international 
flight, according to Thai Airways executives, has already 
left from Suvarnabhumi.  Don Muang, primarily a domestic 
airport, also expects to be functioning by December 5. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  TSA representatives are working with the RTG and 
AOT to arrange a safety analysis of Suvarnabhumi. TSA will 
conduct an initial walk through of the airport on December 4. 
TSA expects U.S. air carriers operating from Suvarnabhumi and 
foreign carriers flying direct to the U.S. to have performed 
all required security measures prior to flying. 
 
Airlines Claim They Are Ready to Take-off 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) A United Airways (UA) executive told the Embassy on 
December 3 that UA staff inspected equipment at Suvarnabhumi. 
 Everything appeared to be operational, including baggage 
systems and computers. The executive said that there were no 
major security breaches and all UA systems were intact.  The 
executive said one airplane is prepared to land at 
Suvarnabhumi late December 4 and depart from the airport on 
December 5.  The American Chamber of Commerce has also 
distributed this flight information to members by email.  A 
Northwest Airlines (NWA) executive also told the Embassy they 
were prepared to begin service by December 5 and has 
distributed an informal email listing flight times. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Thai Airways officials informed the Embassy on 
December 3 that the airline will resume operations out of 
Suvarnabhumi on December 4, with a limited number of flights 
(although a few Thai Airways flights have already begun). 
They expect to be back up to full speed later this week.  The 
officials said Thai Airways would shut down their operations 
at U-Tapao later this week.  Flights for December 4 operating 
out of Suvarnabhumi are already posted on the Thai Airways 
website and have been released to the media. 
 
Chartered Flights for Citizens 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The Embassy Consular Section, working with 
Consular Affairs (CA) in Washington, released a statement to 
American citizens that the Embassy is exploring the 
 
BANGKOK 00003540  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
possibility of organizing a chartered flight. The statement 
was posted on the Embassy website as well as distributed to 
wardens, the American Chamber of Commerce, and area hotels. 
Interested citizens were told to contact the Embassy by phone 
or email.  Depending on the level of interest, the Embassy 
will consider whether chartering a flight is necessary 
(although this option looks increasingly unnecessary).  The 
Embassy also is convening a daily internal meeting to discuss 
the current airport and airline situation. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  The Consular Section and other mission sections, 
including TSA and the Regional Security Office, have made 
site visits to area airports and venues to determine the most 
feasible locations for check-in and departure should a 
chartered flight be arranged.  Currently, one potential 
option is to fly out of Wing Six of Don Muang.  Wing Six is 
the military wing of Don Muang (see reftel) and located in 
Bangkok.  Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) officials met with 
Embassy staff on December 3 and explained they are willing to 
allow chartered flights out of Wing Six, provided passengers 
are prescreened at an offsite location.  Equipment to be used 
at Wing Six, such as stairs and baggage loaders, would have 
to be rented by the USG. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The most feasible option for prescreening Amcit 
charter passengers may be to check-in passengers at a hotel. 
The French Embassy employed a hotel for check-in of their 
citizens on its chartered flight.  An Embassy team also 
visited the BITEC convention center that has been used as the 
prescreening area for Thai Airways, Eva Air, and several 
other airlines, during the occupation of Suvarnabhumi and Don 
Muang December 3.  However, based on an initial inspection by 
the Embassy, BITEC appears to have serious security 
deficiencies, including the lack of security measures around 
buses to take passengers from BITEC to the airport.  Thai 
City Air Terminal (TCAT), which serves as Thai Airways 
headquarters, can also accommodate check-in for a chartered 
flight.  However, TCAT may be too small. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Embassy officials contacted diplomats at the 
British and Australian Embassies, who stated they are no 
longer considering the option of chartered flights, largely 
due to the imminent reopening of Suvarnabhumi.  The French 
chartered one flight that departed from Wing Six at Don Muang 
with 500 passengers on December 3. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Septel will address political developments in 
Thailand. 
JOHN