Can Bangkok’s International Airport, Suvarnabhumi, become a global hub?
There was an article in yesterdays Nation that I read from my computer in Khon Kaen about Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok wanting to become an global hub. What a joke. Let me share the article and pick it apart.
Here is how the article starts:
Thailand could become a regional aviation hub if the government can come up with a clear strategy and action plan, plus upgrades in services of such key players as Thai Airways International and Airports of Thailand (AOT), as well as a reboot of Thai hospitality.
“clear strategy” and “action plan” are terms that simply do not exist in the Thai language.
“upgrades in service” from Thai Airways will coincide with increases in fares. And the Airports of Thailand (AOT) is one of the most corrupt offices in the country.
“reboot of Thai hospitality” is a nice thought. More smiles, friendly service, etc. Instead, we have the rip-offs waiting right by the luggage carousel, and then the high priced shops in the terminal, and the taxi mafia waiting in the hallways.
There was a roundtable discussion last week and it was decided that Thailand could become an international hub if there were some major improvements. It goes beyond major improvements. In order for this to happen, you would have to change the attitudes and thinking of an entire country overnight. Ain’t gonna happen.
An AOT senior executive wants Suvarnabhumi to be like Changi Airport in Singapore where 70% of the passengers stopped over and visited the city. In Thailand, the number is 30%.
Maybe if Suvarnabhumi airport didn’t have long, long lines at Immigration and all the scams at the airport, they may get some more visitors.
Pornthip Hirunkate, the vice president of Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) wants the following to happen
She called for such participants as THAI, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, AOT and the private sector to work together to improve the standards of internal management and services.
This will also never happen. There is too much money, graft, and corruption in these major organizations for any of them to work together and fear losing their piece of the pie.
This was the clincher:
Singapore, for instance, is already preparing for the regional open sky that will start in 2013 and for seamless trade within the Asean Economic Community in 2015. Thailand should get ready to benefit from the open-sky policy.
The regional open sky cooperative was proposed formally in 2008, three years ago, and it looks like Singapore is moving forward and Thailand has done nothing. This is an agreement among the ASEAN countries to work together, join hands and share routes, consolidate and play together as a team, and all live happily ever after.
The Thailand Government won’t do this. Thailand belongs to ASEAN but doesn’t like their interference as seen with the border conflict with Cambodia over Preah Vehear. Thailand wants to do everything bilaterally with no outside intervention.
Thai Airways also won’t cooperate with this plan. It would force them to share routes they currently monopolize and lower their prices. Ain’t gonna happen.
And, even if Thailand does work towards this Regional Open Sky program, they are already years behind.
Chokchai Panyayong, THAI executive vice president for strategy and business development, wants the Thai government to lead the way and direct the strategy.
“Airlines and airports usually progress in the same way. Once an airport receives any global award, the airlines [associated with it] get recognition too. [Seoul's] Incheon Airport is a good example,” Chokchai said.
This guy must be on drugs. Suvarnabhumi International Airport fell from 24th place to 40th place in global airport ranking. What kind of award should we give it? Most rip-offs? Largest fleet of taxi mafia? Longest lines at Immigration?
Mr. Chokchai Panyayong also stated that there is a:
strong presence of Thainess
Whatever that means. They must only be looking at the pretty girls at the ticket counters.
These people all live in some kind of Fantasyland. They don’t know how to play nice together and will never work with each other towards a common goal since they all have their own agendas.
So, here is the grand solution to make Suvarnabhumi – Bangkok’s International Airport into a Global Hub:
It has started an “Airport of Smiles” campaign as part of its efforts to improve service standards.
The Thai Government, the Airports of Thailand, and Thai Airways need to work together and all go to Singapore to learn how to get rid of the corruption, scams and rip-offs and then study Changi Airport and learn what they are doing right and copy it (Thais are excellent at copying), and then maybe they will earn some bogus award that will make them all think they are a global hub.
Thailand is too far behind the power curve to be able to participate in the regional open sky initiative and this is most likely due to not wanting to play with the rest of the ASEAN members.
So, Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok will remain a transit airport for 70% of their passengers and all the roundtable discussions, meetings and conferences won’t solve the problem. Action will have to be taken by all to make Thailand a destination that people want to go to and not fear getting ripped off the second they step off the plane. But, that would require eliminating corruption in Thailand. Good Luck!
Suvarnabhumi will be what it is. A big hunk of glass and steel, long Immigration lines, taxi mafia and rip-offs, and high prices.
Suvarnabhumi, the International Airport of Bangkok, will still fall way short and most likely continue to drop in the list in global airport ranking.
1 Comments
i wish you would be just a bit less pro government here