Don Mueang reopens for business | Bangkok Post: learning

Easy English news

It almost looked like the good old days at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport yesterday as it reopened for business after renovations following last year's heavy flood damage.

Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning
The Facebook page for Thailand submerged is: http://www.facebook.com/ThailandSubmerged

Don Muang was busy again yesterday after almost a year of little activity. The big carriers were gone, but domestic budget carriers like Thai AirAsia and Nok Air were doing a lively business. Photos by Thiti Wannamontha.

Click button to listen to Don Mueang opens and rightclick to download

Don Mueang reopens for business

It almost looked like the good old days at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport yesterday as it reopened for business after renovations following last year's heavy flood damage.

Gone, of course, were the big carriers like Thai Airways International, United and Lufthansa, but low cost carriers like Nok Air and Thai AirAsia (TAA) were doing a lively business.

This passenger seemed quite pleased with the welcome he received at the airport reopening.

Officials said 281 domestic and international flights used the airport yesterday and they expect 350-370 flights per day in the future.

The budget carrier TAA, which had just relocated from Suvarnabhumi Airport, inaugurated its new home with a flight to Bali at 6.15am.

TAA chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said all flights were on time and there were no bottlenecks at the check-in counters compared to Suvarnabhumi.

Luggage X-ray screening only took two minutes per passenger, compared with 10-15 minutes at Suvarnabhumi, he said.

But there were still some minor problems such as a lack of direction signs, both inside the terminal and outside on the roads, Mr Tassaporn said.

Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) has already been informed of the shortcomings. The majority state-owned airport operator is also planning to add Chinese-language signs to accommodate Chinese travellers.

Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan expects the number of people travelling through Don Mueang will eventually reach 22 million a year.

A view of the colourful Nok Air check-in counter.

Suvarnabhumi is currently handling more than 45 million passengers a year, having reached its maximum designed capacity just six years after it opened.

One major concern is the lack of decent public transport between the two airports. Mr Chatchart pledged that the government would speed up work on a new line of the 30-billion-baht Airport Rail Link to connect the Phaya Thai Skytrain station to Don Mueang.

The government hopes to call a bid to select a contractor early next year, with completion scheduled for 2016.

Adapted from a story by Amornrat Mahitthirook in today's Bangkok Post.
 
carrier – a company that carries goods or passengers from one place to another, especially by air บริษัทขนส่ง (โดยเฉพาะสายการบิน)
domestic – inside the country being talked about ภายในประเทศ
budget carrier – an airline that charges very low prices
lively – full of life and energy; active and enthusiastic มีชีวิตชีวา, เร้าอารมณ์
pleased – happy and satisfied พอใจ
renovation – making something old look new again by repairing and improving it, especially a building การปฏิสังขรณ์, การทำให้มีสภาพดีเหมือนเดิม, การบูรณะ, การซ่อมแซมใหม่
relocate – to move something to a new place ย้ายที่ใหม่
inaugurate – to put something into use or action officially เริ่มเป็นทางการ
chief executive – the person with the highest rank in a company or an organisation ผู้บริหารสูงสุด
bottleneck – a problem that causes something to slow down and not work normally คอขวด
luggage – baggage; all the cases and bags that you take with you when you travel กระเป๋าเดินทาง
minor – not important; small; having little influence or effect เล็กน้อย
lack – to not have something needed  ขาด
terminal – a large building at an airport where passengers arrive and leave อาคารผู้โดยสาร
inform – to tell somebody about something, especially in an official way แจ้งให้ทราบ
shortcoming – a fault in a plan, a system, someone’s character, etc. จุดอ่อน, ปมด้อย
majority – more than half ส่วนใหญ่
state – government รัฐบาล
operator – a person or company that runs a business ผู้ดำเนินกิจการทางธุรกิจ, ผู้ประกอบธุรกิจ
accommodate – to prepare what is needed for something ปรับให้เข้ากับ, เปลี่ยนให้เหมาะกับ, จัดให้เหมาะ
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
currently – at this time; now ในปัจจุบัน
handle – to be able deal with a situation ควบคุมได้, จัดการได้
maximum – the most possible ที่สูงสุด ที่มากที่สุด
capacity – the total amount or number that can be handled or contained ปริมาณสูงสุดที่จะรับได้
concern – a worry ความกังวล
decent – of a good enough standard or quality  เหมาะสม
pledge – to make a serious promise to do something สัญญา
bid – an offer to buy or provide something at a specific price การประมูล, การให้ราคา, การเสนอราคา
select – to choose  คัดเลือก
contractor – a person or company whose job is to do work for another person, organisation, company, etc. ผู้รับเหมา
scheduled – planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา

Tell us what you think about this article

Like dislike 1 people liked / 0 people disliked it

Share this article

0

0

• More +

• Republishing permission
• Print this

Bangkok Post online classifieds

Try buying & selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local & expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.