Suvarnabhumi dry, images misleading

Published: 8/11/2011 at 06:31 AM
Newspaper section: Business

Images of a Thai Airways International Airbus stranded in deep floodwater at Don Mueang airport have caused misconceptions among many people outside Thailand that Bangkok is closed to air traffic.

Photos like this one and from foreign agencies below show a Thai Airways International plane in a flood - but not a currently used Airbus, and not at the main Bangkok airport, which is dry and operating normally. (Photo by Patipat Janthong. Photos below by Reuters (top) and AFP.)

That has frustrated both airlines and the management of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country's gateway, where it is business as usual and flood prevention defences are said to be very strong.

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About the author

: Writer: Boonsong Kositchotethana; Position: Deputy Editor Business

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uncle2011
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Discussion 47 : 08/11/2011 at 12:56 PM47
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Visit your local 7 Eleven ; Tesco or Big C and you know why tourist will and should stay away:
Yes: you are greeted by smiling people(and I love Thailand for that) but also by more and more empty shelves. Here in Chiang Mai i had to visit 5 7 Eleven shops to find any toilet paper. Beer, water or milk products are more and more difficult to find. I accept it and can live with it but when you come here to spend your well deserved holiday it is not funny.

Thailand: get organized and your tourist will come back.
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pooh

Discussion 46 : 08/11/2011 at 08:01 AM46
Well with so much misinformation who with a sane mind would trust any statements made by the many different voices of the socalled "government" ? ???
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swlh

Discussion 45 : 08/11/2011 at 07:58 AM45
Come on people not all the country is affected Phuket has no problem at all and it's hot

Thailand is a big country people .
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serge

Discussion 44 : 08/11/2011 at 06:56 AM44
Me and my girlfriend (germans) wanted to visit bali/ thailand for 2,5 weeks this year. We'll cancel the flight on thursday for 2 main reasons:
- Seeing the thai people coping with a difficult situation like this is not a chilling time, what a holiday should be.
- we don't believe that the airport will stay dry during the next 3 weeks.

I would be interested in ur opionions about the possibility of a flooding of the airport. Thx.
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fungus
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Discussion 43 : 07/11/2011 at 03:34 PM43
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People who travel often to Thailand have legitimate fears of being stranded, again. It was total chaos trying to travel during the silly PAD airport siezures and the shut down of EU airports during the volcano ash air ban. I was in cue on the phone to THAI airways for an average of 4 hours per call, only to be told to call back later!?

And there are deep concerns about health and hygiene with the flood waters. Hygeine at some restaruants is tenious at best when everything is normal. Just imagine all of the contaminated food and poor sanitation that is going to follow in the next few months. This could result in overtaxed health care systems and medicine shortages.

The goverment has an extremely tough job ahead to manange not only the flood water, but the subsequent recovery.
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koolbreez
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Discussion 42 : 07/11/2011 at 03:23 PM42
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Yeah, that's it. Get the tourists to come right now, but be sure to explain that they can only go to certain areas, and Bangkok, or any of the day tour areas around Bangkok are not included.

Then be sure to tell them the only way to get to any of the areas is to fly, as all the roads out of Bangkok will be closed, and no train travel.

It totally amazes me that some tour operators have not started giving boat tours into the deeply flooded areas. This is the perfect opportunity to make money, and no one is doing it. This amazes me completely.
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gooner57
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Discussion 41 : 07/11/2011 at 02:18 PM41
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MMM a few pictures to put people of no i don't see it. People returning from Thailand and saying how it really is from the ground that might do it. No food in the shops, no drinking water, many places closed difficult to travel around Bangkok, foul smelling water, snakes and crocodiles loose, risk of desease poor comunication that might just be enough to put people off hey who needs pictures.
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ricardo
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Discussion 40 : 07/11/2011 at 02:05 PM40
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What pictures should they show? Jet Ski scam operators, Gem scam operators, Higher prices for hotels in Pattaya and Hua Hin etc. Any tourist that would come now to anyplace in Thailand will for sure have a unforgettable holiday such they may never come back. Better to loose them for one year rather then forever.

As for the floods not that bad; tell that to people living in central Thailand and most of Nonthaburi
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soltair
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Discussion 39 : 07/11/2011 at 01:45 PM39
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As usual the international press is more interested in sensational headlines and pictures instead of facts. Hay Giraffe, were you around when a journalist reported cracks in the run ways of the (then)new Suvarnabhummi airport? These cracks were FACTS but the poor guy ended up in court because big brother took offence. There is only one fact in Thailand , they all talk talk talk and talk and it is the others who do things wrong.
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ricefield
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Discussion 38 : 07/11/2011 at 01:30 PM38
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Disc 34 - I've only ever worked for one small newspaper but reporters don't write their own headlines, or not very often, as that's the editor's job.
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