Airport
- World
Pakistan airlines cleans house after the pilot license cheating scandal
In the wake of a deadly Pakistan plane crash, the country’s flagship carrier, PIA, says they may let go more than 150 pilots after finding many have allegedly faked their own licenses. The government says that pilots both inside and outside the airline had allegedly allowed other people to take their exams in order to keep their flying licenses. Now, those…
- Tourism
Phuket Airport is open for business. Flights available today.
Phuket International Airport is open from today. This island’s airport, closed from the start of April, re-opened just after midnight. Not that there are many scheduled flights today. It looks like the announcement from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand caught the airlines by surprise as well but the airlines may add flights quickly to take advantage of the earlier…
- Tourism
Phuket’s hotels can now open. Someone forgot to tell the hotels.
Phuket is open. Sort of. And the hotels on the island are officially allowed to re-open but few are flinging open their doors anytime soon to welcome the hordes of tourists lining up to book a room. The holiday island is in a Catch 22 situation with the hotels waiting for the guests to return and potential visitors waiting until…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket officially reopens Monday, but with restrictions
Phuket is scheduled to reopen to outsiders on Monday, to coincide with the start of Phase 3 of the easing of Emergency Decree restrictions enacted to fight the spread of Covid-19. It will also be a pleasant respite for the islanders who have been cooped up on the island since the last week of March. Phuket’s outgoing governor says his…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thais on repatriation flight from London were reported with ‘fevers’
Of the 264 passengers who arrived from London on a repatriated flight 2 days ago, yesterday deputy director of operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport reported that 9 Thais on the flight were discovered with a high temperature at the initial screening when they deplaned. “Airport staff screened all passengers who arrived on the EVA Air flight number BR068 from London.” “The…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
UPDATE: Phuket airport reopening delayed, again
UPDATE: In a surprise reversal, The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced the postponement of the reopening of Phuket International Airport, indefinitely. Just yesterday they announced that the provincial airport was to re-open from tomorrow morning. Although Phuket has gone 13 days with no new Covid 19 infections, it was still considered a risk area that needs to be…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
British woman stranded in Chiang Mai airport finds somewhere to stay
The director of Chiang Mai’s Suthep International Airport reported today that a British woman who has been stranded in the airport for nearly a week has finally found a place to stay. He says the woman, a backpacker, arrived in Chiang Mai on April 14 heading to Bangkok and then Surat Thani when her flight was cancelled and she became…
- Coronavirus Thailand
4 pro golfers, 131 students allowed to return to Thailand
4 of Thailand’s most successful international golf champions, including Ariya Jutanugarn, her sister Moriya and Kiradech Aphibarnrat arrived home last night after weeks trapped in the US. They now face 14 days of mandatory quarantine. They had spent almost two months in the US. The number of infections in the US is growing at an alarming rate and the 3…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket reports 14 new coronavirus cases, total now 140
Phuket has reported 14 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases today (Wednesday). The island is on virtual lockdown, especially Patong, home of the Bangla Road red light area, the flashpoint of most of the island’s infections. The new number bring the island’s infections to 140. Phuket has closed off all land and sea routes and barred entry to all but essential goods vehicles,…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Officer who allowed 152 returnees to leave airport without quarantine has been ‘recalled’
152 Thais who arrived home from the US on Friday were inexplicably allowed to return to their homes to self quarantine, rather than endure the mandatory 14 day quarantine at state facilities faced by other arrivals. As a result, the permanent secretary of the defence ministry has recalled an army major-general from Suvarnabhumi International Airport and ordered an investigation. A…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket airport to ban flights April 10-30 over virus fears
The southern island province of Phuket has sealed its borders by land and sea, and yesterday provincial governor Phakkhaphong Thawiphat announced that air transport to Phuket will also shut down beginning April 10 until at least April 30 in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. “Shutting down the air transport route requires seven days notification in advance…
- Bangkok
Airports of Thailand approves Don Mueang expansion
Yesterday, the Airports of Thailand (AoT) board gave tacit approval of a master plan for the third-phase development of Don Mueang International airport costing an estimated of 39 billion baht. The expansion arrangements includes, increase of the airport’s capacity to 40 million passengers a year (currently 30 million a year), a 3.4 kilometre automated people mover system (APM), new car…
- Business
Thai Airways president and Suvarnabhumi chief resign
Two of Thailand’s most prominent aviation bosses have thrown in the towel, citing the Thai government’s bungling of the Covid-19 coronavirus situation. Both resignations happened yesterday. The president of Thai Airways, Sumeth Damrongchaitham, resigned yesterday afternoon. That corporate bombshell was closely followed by the resignation of the director of Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Sutheerawat Suwannawat. At this stage the Thai government…
- Indonesia
Mt Merapi erupts, closes Adi Sumarmo International Airport in Indonesia
Adi Sumarmo International Airport in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia has been closed because of an active volcano erupting, spewing smoke and ash into the sky. There have been no reports of casualties or damage, according to National Disaster Mitigation Agency. The airport on Indonesia’s Java Island was forced to close temporarily this morning after the volcano, Mt Merapi, erupted spewing…
- Tourism
Chiang Mai to see passenger numbers fall by 40% in wake of virus fears
The numbers at Chiang Mai’s international airport will fall 40% to 3.5 million in the first six months of this year if the outbreak of Covid-19 coronavirus drags on until the middle of the year. Chiang Mai airport deputy director Thananrat Prasertsri said late last week that flights to the airport during the period January 1 to February 25 dropped…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
No confirmed coronavirus cases in Phuket, six tourists under observation
A this stage, no one in Phuket has been confirmed as infected with the coronavirus. Director of Vachira Hospital’s Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol brought local media up to date in his media scrum at the hospital yesterday. But he announced that 6 more tourists are currently under observation but are, as yet, unconfirmed to be carrying the novel coronavirus. One of…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Immigration checkpoints enhance hygiene measures nationwide
Health screening measures are being boosted today at immigration checkpoints nationwide to prevent the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus into Thailand. Since cases were confirmed in Malaysia and Singapore, officials at the Betong border crossing in the southernmost province Yala are using handheld thermometers to screen suspected contaminanees. Meanwhile enhanced hygiene measures are being implemented at immigration checkpoints at all…
- Air Pollution
Severe air pollution forces Nok Air flight back to Bangkok
The severe air pollution which has plagued much of Thailand’s central and northern regions for weeks is showing signs of subsiding, with many areas reporting “moderate” to “good” air quality levels yesterday. But in the north levels remain high, with the pollution in Phrae province preventing a Nok Air plane from landing and forcing it back to Bangkok. Meanwhile, Bangkok…
- Pattaya
Second passenger terminal opens at U-Tapao International Airport
U-Tapao International Airport, serving the cities of Pattaya and Rayong in eastern Thailand, has officially opened a second passenger terminal, with ambitious plans for growth and an increase in passenger capacity from over 2 million a year to 5 million over the next five years. The Nation reports that airport officials are also waiting for the outcome of the bidding…
- Bangkok
Chinese and Indian nationals arrested for fake visas, entry stamps
PHOTO: Immigration.go.th Two Chinese nationals and an Indian couple have been detained by Thai Immigration police in two separate arrests at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai Residents reports that the Chinese nationals were attempting to check in for a Cathay Pacific flight from Bangkok to Canada using fake Canadian visas. When airline staff got suspicious over the visas’ appearance and contacted Immigration…
- Transport
Transport Ministry succumbs to increase in luggage charges for airport taxis
Items of luggage that measure 26 inches (66 centimetres) or more in length will now incur a taxi ‘handling fee’ of an additional 20 baht in an agreement reached between airport taxi drivers and the Transport Ministry. It’s understood the Ministry approved the increase after caving in to a protest by taxi drivers on Thursday. Over 100 members of the…
- Transport
Bangkok airport taxi drivers protest over ride-sharing apps
With app-based ride services set to be legalised in Bangkok from March next year, taxi drivers at Suvarnabhumi airport are threatening to protest over what they see as the government’s failure to ensure fair competition. The Bangkok Post reports that the drivers are threatening to limit the number of bags they will accept from November 1, accusing both the Transport…
