Well, it's been a few days and I think it's time to update my blog. There's a lot going on in Thailand right now, political happenings for the most part. I think it's important to be aware of what's going on around you because people have the ability to impose change. I'm often finding myself wondering if others are as questioning about some of the current situations happening around us.
The new Suvarnabhumi airport (pronounced SOO-wanna-poom in english) has been plagued by problems since before it even opened. The word Suvarnabhumi actually means "Golden-land" and is supposed to usher in a new era of truly international travel for Thai citizens and attract much needed foreign-currency into the Kingdom.
According to an article I read on nationmultimedia.com (A Thai-english newspaper), Sumet Jumsai (a professor/planner and well-known international speaker) goes to say that the planning of the airports location was done quite poorly. He mentions that the land is quite undesirable and due to certain environmental issues such as global warming, the airport will be 3 metres below sea level in the next 3 generations.
This is a quote taken from him:
"The Suvarnabhumi development in Cobra Swamp is the sum total of everything that should not have been done. But because it has been done, we have to do our planning in light of its reality. Nonetheless, nature was substantially sidelined when the project to develop the area started. Huge investments in infrastructure work became necessary, mainly as corrective measures in an area that is basically a 5,200-sq-km lake. It also meant building on top of the worst subsoil conditions, and a watery terrain that will eventually be three metres below the mean sea level. This event is projected to take place in three generations' time and the factors involved are global warming and rising seas, and the subsidence of the swamp." --Sumet Jumsai (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/28/opinion/opinion_30012103.php)
This is an excerpt from Mr. Sumet's closing speech at the recent International Symposium on Suvarnabhumi organised by a group of Thai universities led by Silpakorn University.
I was shaking my head when I read this other article of a "traveller's lament". He identifies many issues with the new airport due to its faulty construction. I found the article quite interesting: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/01/national/national_30015084.php
Their was a fire in the catering-facility during construction which was 90% complete. There was also a major crack identified during construction in the passenger terminal, which caused "problems".
Literally a month after opening, the Airports of Thailand president acknowledged a major problem with the lack of toilets for travellers due to the scathing criticism by the public. They approved spending 40 million baht (about $1.3 million CND) to increase the number of toilets by 200. How could the planning of something so basic be so lacking? They happened not even a month since the first flight comes into the new airport.
I could go on and on about the problems faced by the Airports of Thailand authorities.
It's interesting to see the problems faced. I mean we're not talking about one or two minor mistakes but multiple mistakes probably costing people way to much money to fix. I find it very interesting to see how a society and culture deals with these problems and I wonder if anyone is learning from these mistakes as gathering from the opinions of others, it would appear mistakes are continually made like this in Thai society. There are many cultural implications which I won't pretend to understand nor am I criticizing, however I believe this idea of Thai culture facilitating the concept of non-confrontation in the wake of a "problem" contributes to some of the societal and political issues that develop when huge projects such as the Suvarnabhumi airport are undertaken. More to come... :)
In my next post I'll talk about the latest happenings with the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin and the so called democratic government censoring the media.
The new Suvarnabhumi airport (pronounced SOO-wanna-poom in english) has been plagued by problems since before it even opened. The word Suvarnabhumi actually means "Golden-land" and is supposed to usher in a new era of truly international travel for Thai citizens and attract much needed foreign-currency into the Kingdom.
According to an article I read on nationmultimedia.com (A Thai-english newspaper), Sumet Jumsai (a professor/planner and well-known international speaker) goes to say that the planning of the airports location was done quite poorly. He mentions that the land is quite undesirable and due to certain environmental issues such as global warming, the airport will be 3 metres below sea level in the next 3 generations.
This is a quote taken from him:
"The Suvarnabhumi development in Cobra Swamp is the sum total of everything that should not have been done. But because it has been done, we have to do our planning in light of its reality. Nonetheless, nature was substantially sidelined when the project to develop the area started. Huge investments in infrastructure work became necessary, mainly as corrective measures in an area that is basically a 5,200-sq-km lake. It also meant building on top of the worst subsoil conditions, and a watery terrain that will eventually be three metres below the mean sea level. This event is projected to take place in three generations' time and the factors involved are global warming and rising seas, and the subsidence of the swamp." --Sumet Jumsai (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/28/opinion/opinion_30012103.php)
This is an excerpt from Mr. Sumet's closing speech at the recent International Symposium on Suvarnabhumi organised by a group of Thai universities led by Silpakorn University.
I was shaking my head when I read this other article of a "traveller's lament". He identifies many issues with the new airport due to its faulty construction. I found the article quite interesting: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/01/national/national_30015084.php
Their was a fire in the catering-facility during construction which was 90% complete. There was also a major crack identified during construction in the passenger terminal, which caused "problems".
Literally a month after opening, the Airports of Thailand president acknowledged a major problem with the lack of toilets for travellers due to the scathing criticism by the public. They approved spending 40 million baht (about $1.3 million CND) to increase the number of toilets by 200. How could the planning of something so basic be so lacking? They happened not even a month since the first flight comes into the new airport.
I could go on and on about the problems faced by the Airports of Thailand authorities.
It's interesting to see the problems faced. I mean we're not talking about one or two minor mistakes but multiple mistakes probably costing people way to much money to fix. I find it very interesting to see how a society and culture deals with these problems and I wonder if anyone is learning from these mistakes as gathering from the opinions of others, it would appear mistakes are continually made like this in Thai society. There are many cultural implications which I won't pretend to understand nor am I criticizing, however I believe this idea of Thai culture facilitating the concept of non-confrontation in the wake of a "problem" contributes to some of the societal and political issues that develop when huge projects such as the Suvarnabhumi airport are undertaken. More to come... :)
In my next post I'll talk about the latest happenings with the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin and the so called democratic government censoring the media.
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