Bangkok floods close domestic airport until next month

Posted 26/10/2011

Bangkok's Don Muang airport will suspend flights until November 1 as the city’s residents prepare for weeks more of flooding.

The airport, mainly used for domestic flights, is in the north of the city where the flooding has been worse.

Bangkok's international airport, Suvarnabhumi, is in another part of the city and remains open. However  Thai Airways International is considering reducing flights from the international hub due to a shortage of staff.

It says many have houses in the Don Muang district and their living and travel conditions have become too difficult. The airline also expects the number of foreign visitors might drop because of the city's problems.

Thai premier Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has warned the city that incoming floods may continue for four weeks. She added that there was uncertainty over whether the capital's flood barriers could hold back the run-off water from the north of Thailand.

AFP reports that the high tide is set to surge up the city’s already overflowing Chao Phraya river with the worst outcome being that parts of Bangkok could be left under more than one metre of water.

 

by Dinah Hatch

Originally published 26 Oct 2011 at: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/398/f/5923/s/1991d39d/l/0L0Stravelmole0N0Cstories0C11499610Bphp0Dmpnlog0F1/story01.htm