AoT cleans up airport’s shameful Image
August 25, 2009 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
Airports of Thailand has initiated a crackdown on illegal taxis and guides operating at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
It also claims to be seriously dealing with other problems that prompted the media to nick name the city’s gateway “airport of shame.”
In directly, AoT’s failure to solve these issues caused irreparable damage to Thailand’s image, a turn of events that should have prompted the management to tender its resignation. Instead, smarting from a dressing down by the PM during a televised visit they are promising to rid the airport of scandals. They will need to tackle scams, poor treatment of alleged shoplifters and a rash of pilfering in the secure luggage transfers areas.
Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva visited Suvarnabhumi Airport, 16 August, when he warned officials that short-term PR was not the answer. He advised officials to sort out the problems for the long-term success of the airport.
AoT’s chairman, Piyapan Champasut told TTR Weekly: “There is now clear evidence that the arrivals hall area is free of illegal guides that yell out at customers.
They have not absolutely vanished. Some are still trying to catch fish but mostly they have spotted outside the terminal. We will continue to monitor and record the names, vehicle registration, and video of illegal guides and taxi drivers to back up an arrest warrant.
If these people return after a warning, then we will file for an arrest warrant in the criminal court for trespass.”
Currently these illegal guides and taxis only pay Bt1,000 fine, mo jail term.
Apparently the process is lengthy from arrest to conviction. In contrast, foreigners apprehended on suspicion of shoplifting are detained, arrested and forced to pay substantial funds to secure their release in a matter of a few hours or days.
The maximum penalty for conducting business illegally at the airport is a Bt2,000 fine or a one-year maximum jail term. This could be applicable to persons who are told to leave the building and ignore the warning.
If there are threats against an AoT official, the fine increases to Bt10,000 or a jail term not exceeding five years.
Backing up his claim that the crackdown is working, Mr Piyapan said the AoT limousine service increased its hires from 800 to almost 1,000 and official taxis increased their trips from 7,000 to 8,000 a day. Revenue at legal tour booths was up 15%.
Those responsible for failing to maintain order, whether intentionally or not will be transferred. He did not say how far up the ladder the disciplinary transfers would go. The annual reshuffle is scheduled for September.
“I take this seriously. I guarantee that as long as I am a chairman of AoT illegal acts and conspiracy will not exist at Suvarnabhumi. Hopefully, the restructuring I am doing here will be sustainable.”
He also said that AoT was prepared to fund the cleaning up because the damage was costly and AoT’s billions of investment would be wasted if the airport’s image was damaged.
Critics says the crackdown is a response to pressure from the PM and media reports, mainly those on local TV channels. They believe that once the media focus moves to other subjects, investigations will lapse.
The common opinion is that illegal operators retreat for a certain period while matters cool off. As the Prime Minister moves to other more pressing issues, efforts to rid the airport of illegal activities will recede allowing illegal operators to return.
It is still not clear whether the AoT or the government has the resolve to clean up the airport and keep it that way. It will require a long-term commitment and repeated checks by Cabinet ministers to see this through.
In the meantime, travel agents, industry observers, consumers should blog and comment on any infractions they see at the airport providing wherever possible evidence that can be forwarded by travel associations to the Prime Minster’s office.
TTR Weekly will forward such reports and blogs directly to the Association of Thai Travel Agents for their reference with copies to the AoT.
I got into your blog when researching for what people are thinking about Thailand. And I thought your blog was very useful for me and any tourists.
Unfortunately, Jacques’ account above is all too common. Baggage return at BKK is the slowest I have encountered in Asia, and that even includes the dreadful Manila NAIA Terminal 3. Whilst I have not yet encountered a 90 minute wait at the baggage carousel, a 40-minute wait is not uncommon. To make matters worse, the last two times I arrived back at BKK, there was not a single available baggage trolley within sight of my baggage carousel. Not even one! So what happened to all of them? Fortunately I was able to drag my bags out of the baggage hall, but there were other passengers there, some elderly, with multiple large pieces of luggage who were simply stranded until (hopefully) someone found some trolleys.
Of course, the baggage trolley shortage may be due to theft of the trolleys by airport staff, as was reported by the Bangkok Post a year ago.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/300908_News/30Sep2008_news06.php
Airports of Thailand paid around US$735 per trolley for the ones they purchased for Suvarnabhumi (and we wonder why), so they are no doubt expensive to replace at that price. Trolley theft, baggage pilfering, touts in the arrivals lobby….what an airport.
The entire baggage return experience at Suvarnabhumi is a fine example of inefficiency and incompetence, and truly a very negative experience that awaits visitors on their arrival in Thailand.
I fly domestically up to 15 times a year and abroad 2-3 times a year for the past 10 years. From Don Muang to Suvannabhumi I notice that:
Aot overemploys staff to have them stand around and chat to each other – it got better now compared to 3-4 years ago when there was no security check for carry-on luggages. They are more polite now but still they act like it’s a playground. You can spot Aot staff in dark blue uniform sitting around in groups doing nothing and chatting about their personal matters as well as I guess, gossiping. There was no supervisor or manager visible who would keep them in line, AOT is a long way from being professional or to be taken seriously.
At immigration, you can see this chatting while working going on while he or she stamps your passport. This is the kind of scene you don’t see in other countries where immigration officers take their jobs more seriously. It appears that Thai immigration’s job is to let just about everybody into the country without stopping or question certain individuals who may be criminals on the run from other countries. You might as well hire some hostesses to do this job. Isn’t it immigration police’s duty to screen visitors entering the Kingdom using interpol information – in other countries you could be detained upon suspicion until proven otherwise. It makes life more difficult for criminals to enter Thailand so instead we are criminal hub of SE Asia.
Welcome to Thailand.
T.Hoontrakul
It’s about time.
I do hope that the police officials mixed up in this have egg right
over their faces
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen
I came back from my home leave last Saturday evening, August 22, 2009 on SQ 978, landing 7.45pm. Very heavy rain, thunderstorm. The Captain announced, while still on the aircraft, that most regrettably they would be a delay collecting our luggage (due to heavy rain).
All passengers disembarked, and I was amazed to see no passengers queing up at the Immigration desk! This was the very first time I have been looked after in the right away, in nine years of Bangkok residency, flying in and out of Bangkok about four times a year.
Ten minutes later the conveyor belt started to run, with a notice “luggage delayed due to heavy rain”. I then asked someone hanging around with a walkie talkie (Security I found out). This chap told me that it would take about 20 minutes. 20 minutes later the conveyor belt stopped, still no luggage in sight. Asking someone else, a lady (Thai Ariways ground handling staff) in a blue uniform, yes I got a wonderful smile ‘another 15 minutes’ she said. I started to question her and said that it rains every day in Bangkok, during the rainy season, and that I would not believe that this would delay receiving luggage… 20 minutes later the conveyor belt started to run again. No luggage. Another person told me that there was a problem with staff! Another plane had arrived in the meantime and the passengers got their luggage! Visibly upset I asked some staff why passengers could not properly be informed!? “There is a ground handling/outsourced company issue, shortage of staff (?)” I was told… well, in short, a totally unacceptable situation, and certainly not something that will promote Thailand as a secure and ‘amazing’ tourism destination! I had been waiting at the conveyor belt from 8.05pm until 9.35pm.
My driver waited at the Novotel. I called him to meet me outside the arrival hall, second lane, between exit 6 and 7. 3 or 4 out of 4 or 5(?) lanes were blocked by traffic, also waiting for their visitors! It was a mess! No visible security or police guiding the traffic! Taxi maffia still in action, although less than before!
All in all a rather sorry return to ‘home away from home’. There is a lot of room for improvement!
Kind regards,
J. Warnez