From
BBC News Online

===============================================
BBC NEWS
Bangkok's old airport back in use
Bangkok's old airport has reopened to help ease congestion at the Thai capital's troubled new international airport as it undergoes repairs.

Don Muang airport - decommissioned six months ago - is expected to handle about 140 daily domestic flights.

Bangkok's $4bn (£2bn) Suvarnabhumi Airport was designed to showcase Thailand as a regional hub.

However, it has been plagued with problems since it opened in September, including cracks in the runways.

The acting president of Airports of Thailand, which runs both facilities, said Don Muang would handle about 140 flights daily.

Thai Airways will operate 30 daily domestic flights out of the old airport, including some flights to the northern city of Chiang Mai.

Eleven Thai Airways routes to popular tourist destinations such as Phuket and Krabi will be kept at Suvarnabhumi to make it easier for passengers connecting to international flights, the airline said in a statement.

Nok Air and One-Two-Go will transfer all of their flights back to the 93-year-old Don Muang.

Series of problems

Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in September to huge publicity.

The Thai authorities hoped that Suvaranabhumi, which means Golden Land, would rival the airports in Hong Kong and Singapore and cement Thailand's reputation as a regional hub.

But since development started more than 40 years ago, the project has been mired by a series of problems.

Politicians from Mr Thaksin's administration were accused of buying up land in advance of construction, to sell on again at huge profits, and the purchase of the airport's high-tech X-Ray scanners was also tainted by allegations of corruption.

The project also suffered many delays and accidents, including a fire that swept through a catering hall, killing a member of staff.

Even supernatural forces seem to have been against Suvarnabhumi, and dozens of people reported seeing ghosts during the construction process.

In February, officials admitted that there were cracks in the runways and taxiways, and said that while they were not a safety threat, they needed repairing.

The old international airport at Don Muang is being reopened on a temporary basis following approval by the Cabinet.

Correspondents say the move will complicate travel for many international visitors, who travel to Bangkok and transfer to different airlines for flights to Thailand's famed beach resorts.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6492431.stm

Published: 2007/03/25 04:40:54 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Hi

Not been around lately, back in Bangkok.

It is interesting that there is great confussion over the spelling of Muang in Don Muang.

The offical name is name Don Mueang and not Don Muang.

Well thats my 555.

no, it is not don mueang. the person who updates the THAI website has misspelt it (not only that, but he/she has also misspelt suvarnabhumi as suvaranbhumi)!

http://www.thaiair.com/About_Thai/Newsroom/Press_Releas...07/press044_sked.htm

the traditional spelling is don muang, even though it's pronounced as if it were spelt don meuang (e before u).

ian.

hi ian, Martin , i havent checked but read on BKK post, OR the Nation,that infact even the new sign at Don Muang is now spelt Don Mueang,, maybe i will go and check that site now
cheers Andy

self edit: not the link i was looking for about the new signage but similar http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/26Mar2007_news20.php

It's always been known to me Don Muang.
However, accoring to the Royal Thai General System of Transcription the vowel (เ–ือ) gives a 'uea' spelling.

It's still the same place though.

Packpao

thanks for the info, packpao! the airports of thailand website continues to use the historic spelling of don muang. confusingly, it also refers to don muang as “bangkok international airport”, with suvarnabhumi being “suvarnabhumi international airport”!

http://www2.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/bangkok/index.asp?lang=en

ian.

hi Ian ,i guess that website to is need of some update,s too
cheers Andy

edit went to there offical site through a differnt link and the second time came up with same page as your link, but couldnt search info on Don Muang, said comming soon
http://airportthai.co.th/airportnew/bangkok/index.asp?lang=en

You also seem to get two different spellings with Kwae or kwai. Any ideas on that one?

Kwae which means a 'river' and in Thai pronounce 'Kwae'. Kwai is pronounced different (like wai with K infront) and in Thai means to swing (a rope) or to rock (a cradle). However, farangs call River Kwai and Thais call Mae nam Kwae(Mae nam also means river) long enough not to be able to change it.

Doesn't KWAI mean Buffalo???

Markymarc,

Yes and also a word for male appendage, I have to learn tones before I ask for the little shellfish and buffalo in Thai ;-)

I am no expert, but I believe Molly's 'Kwai' (swing, ไกว) actually starts with 'gor gai' and not 'kor kai'; i.e. it is pronounced 'gwai'.

Dan.