| The Thai government is moving some
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| | security problems. The government had
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| domestic flights back to Bangkok's old
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| | already planned to spend a million
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| Don Muang Airport, to allow cracks in the
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| | dollars to make up for an inadequate
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| taxiways at the four-month-old, $4
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| | number of toilets.
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| billion Suvarnabhumi Airport to be
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| | Albert Tjoeng, spokesman for the
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| repaired. Ron Corben reports from
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| | Singapore-based International Air
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| Bangkok.
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| | Transport Association, says the necessity
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| The Thai Cabinet agreed Tuesday to the
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| | to reopen Don Muang is a setback to
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| transfer of some domestic flights back to
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| | Thailand's hopes.
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| Don Muang Airport. The Transport
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| | "To groom Bangkok as an aviation hub the
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| Ministry had proposed the move so as to
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| | long term, vision should be to have all
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| relieve pressure on newly opened
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| | commercial flights operating out of one
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| Suvarnabhumi Airport and allow repairs to
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| | airport," Tjoeng said. "Two airports
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| be made there.
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| | will dampen Bangkok's potential for
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| Ground subsidence and cracking along the
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| | becoming an aviation hub in the region."
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| taxiways have led to 11 air gates at the
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| | The Cabinet has recommended the reopening
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| new airport being closed. The resulting
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| | of 90-year-old Don Muang Airport only as
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| backup has led to several flights being
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| | a temporary measure. But officials
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| delayed, or diverted to the old Thai air
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| | estimate that repairs at the new airport
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| force base at Utapao, 150 kilometers to
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| | will take up to 18 months to complete,
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| the southeast.
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| | and will cost as much as $1.5 billion.
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| The new airport was officially opened
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| | The transfer to the old airport by
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| last September, just a week after a
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| | domestic carriers is expected to take up
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| military coup ousted then-Prime Minister
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| | to 60 days.
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| Thaksin Shinawatra from office.
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| | Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation,
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| The Thaksin government had high hopes for
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| | meanwhile, has decided not to renew
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| Suvarnabhumi. Mr. Thaksin was hoping to
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| | Suvarnabhumi's international safety
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| portray it as a government success story
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| | certificate until repairs have been
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| as general elections were held at the end
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| | completed. The airport is able to operate
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| of 2006. Officials were predicting it
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| | legally without the certificate.
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| would help turn Thailand into a major
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| | On top of everything else, Suvarnabhumi
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| regional aviation center.
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| | figures prominently into an investigation
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| But the elections were delayed by the
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| | by the military-installed interim
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| coup, and the airport has been plagued by
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| | government into possible corruption
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| problems from the start, including poor
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| | during Mr. Thaksin's tenure.
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| lighting, difficult-to-read signs, and
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|
