Floods close Don Mueang
Floodwater laps the front of Don Mueang airport on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road where the government is running its flood relief operations centre in Bangkok. Flight operations were halted there yesterday due to the flooded airfield. NATTHITI AMPRIWAN
Floods close Don Mueang
Floodwaters have reached Don Mueang Airport, forcing a halt to all flight operations until at least next Tuesday.
With the opening of Suvarnabhumi as Bangkok’s primary airport this is no longer the front-page story it would have been years ago, but it is a big blow nevertheless.
Airports of Thailand (AoT) chairman ACM Sumet Phomanee said the airport was closed to flights from 2pm yesterday. Floodwater entered the runways of Don Mueang from the adjacent Wing 6 of the air force based to the east.
Don Mueang airport director Kanphat Mangkhlasiri said floodwater affected friction on the runway of the airport and it would be closed until 5pm on Tuesday.
He said floodwater entering northern Bangkok had impacted the power supply and visual air navigation aids of the airport.
The government's flood relief centre will continue to operate at Don Mueang for the time being.
The suspension of Don Mueang airport operations affect Orient Thai Airlines and Nok Air that are based there.
Orient Thai Airlines chief executive officer Manasnant Tantiprasongchai said the airline had moved all of its flights from Don Mueang airport to Suvarnabhumi. That involves 10 domestic and one international flight per day.
Nok Air chief executive officer Patee Sarasin said the airline suspended its services from noon yesterday until Oct 31.
"It may resume flights on Nov 1," he said. "We do not know how much floodwater will flow in. We cannot estimate it.”
Meanwhile, Suvarnabhumi airport continues to operate normally. Since it was built in what used to be a swamp, however, some industry executives have expressed great concern that it could face a similar fate unless more effective measures are put in place to protect it.