Rise in air passenger traffic - first half of 2011

Thailand's six major airports including Suvarnabhumi posted an 18.2% rise in passenger traffic in the first half of this year to 33.5 million, underscoring the country's position as one of the busiest in the region for civil aviation.

High double-digit growth will likely continue through the second half thanks largely to the expected absence of further domestic political turmoil that chased away foreign tourists over the past two-and-a-half years.

Industry analysts say travel demand in the high season, which begins in late October, will also likely expedite growth in passenger traffic.

Figures from Airports of Thailand Plc show international passenger throughput from January to June rose 20.5% year-on-year to 21.3 million, while domestic traffic increased by 14.4% to 12.2 million.

Rising in tandem with the increase in passenger numbers were flight frequencies. Combined takeoffs and landings rose 15.4% year-on-year in the first half to 223,381 _ 125,344 for international (up 16.4%) and 98,037 domestic (up 14.2%).

Cargo volume through the airports in the first half grew more slowly due to the weak global economy, by 3.18% to 706,438 tonnes _ 649,328 tonnes for international (up 2.74%) shipments and 57,110 tonnes domestic (up 8.45%).

Most traffic went through Bangkok's gateway Suvarnabhumi airport, which handled 15.6% more passengers in the first half to hit a record 23.99 million.

International passenger traffic rose 18.95% to 18.8 million while domestic traffic increased 4.9% to 5.2 million.

Suvarnabhumi handled 11.7% more takeoffs and landings year-on-year in the first half to a record 145,100 _ 106,798 international (up 14.3%) and 38,302 domestic (up 4.9%).

The airport handled 669,763 tonnes of freight, up 3.14% year-on-year, with international volume rising 2.82% to 643,478 tonnes and domestic shipments up 11.5% to 26,285 tonnes.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/aviation/250809/h1-traffic-growth-healthy

Public graft body steps into resort row

The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission is preparing to sue resort developers suspected of encroaching on protected land in the Khao Yai national park as well as any state officials found to have assisted them.

PACC secretary-general Ampon Wongsiri yesterday said the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department had asked him to examine 22 land plots covering 250 rai near Tharn Thip waterfall in the Khao Yai National Park in Prachin Buri's Prachantakham district where officials have found evidence of encroachment.

Mr Ampon said influential individuals had used land rights documents to claim ownership of the plots.

Issuing land rights documents for forest reserve areas is prohibited by law. PACC will ask the Land Department and the Royal Forest Department to investigate.

Any land title deeds issued for areas in the Khao Yai national park will be revoked and authorities found to have been involved in issuing of the land documents will face legal action.

Meanwhile, Suthep Pawareswitthayalarn, chief of Nakhon Ratchasima's forest management bureau, said forestry officials yesterday finished searching 22 resorts suspected of encroaching on the Khao Phu Luang forest reserve in Wang Nam Khieo. Next week, authorities will begin to search a further 17 resorts suspected to have been built in protected areas of the Khao Phu Luang forest reserve.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/251460/public-graft-body-steps-into-resort-row

Wage Hike to add to Housing Cost, Thailand

Unit prices of self-built homes could increase by at least 8.2% if the minimum wage is increased to 300 baht a day as the new government has pledged, builders say.

Vibul: Builders to factor in new rates

A higher minimum wage would have twin impacts on the cost of constructing a house, said Vibul Chantradilokrat, president of the Home Builder Association (HBA). One would be an increase in labour costs, which account for 30% of the total, and the other on construction materials, the major cost at 70%.

Raising the minimum wage from 215 baht to 300 baht a day, or by 39.5%, would lift home prices in a range of 8.2% to 10.6%.

"We cannot estimate how much construction materials prices will rise, but they will definitely increase as the wages for production of construction materials will be revised up in line with the new government's policy," said Mr Vibul.

He said the higher unit prices were, the higher the increase in prices would be. Finished materials are used more to build smaller units than larger ones. Higher-priced units are mostly built by skilled labour.

"Homebuilders should carefully set unit prices as the new wage, if passed, will start on Jan 1 next year," said Mr Vibul. "Unit prices introduced today should factor in new rates, as a unit sold today will start construction no later than November and finish next year."

In labour costs for a self-built home, wages ranged from 215 baht to more than 300 baht a day for non-skilled and skilled labour. An increase in the minimum wage of 215 baht would cause a step-up increase in other wage rates. For example, from 215 to 300 baht, 250 to 320 baht and 275 to 325 baht.

From Aug 25-28, the HBA will hold its Home Builder 2011 event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, where more than 40 builders will join with a sales target of 2.5 billion baht, up from 2.3 billion last year.

Highlights will include the 4G Home concept of good design, good consultation with architects and engineers, good content from landscape and interior architects, and good land profile.

Financial partners Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikornbank, the Government Housing Bank and Bangkok Asset Management Corporation will offer more than 1,000 plots of land with titles for building houses.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/property/news/250188/builders-say-wage-hike-would-add-to-housing-cost

Japan keen to develop high-speed rail service

Japan is interested in developing a 230 billion baht high-speed train service from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Rayong, says Supoj Saplom, permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry

Mr Supoj said he had learned about the interest at a meeting yesterday with Akira Yonezawa, deputy director-general for engineering affairs at Japan's Railway Bureau. The full line would be more than 800km long, he was told. The two met a day after a high-speed train accident in China that killed 35 people.

Mr Supoj said Japan was highly experienced in high-speed railways and its bullet trains had never had an accident.

In China a lightning strike caused a power outage that brought to a halt a high-speed train on an elevated track in the city of Wenzhou. Then another high-speed train smashed into the stalled one from behind, killing at least 38 people.

Thai transport and engineering authorities said they did not think a similar accident could occur here due to the Kingdom's higher safety standards.

That's because Thailand's electric railways - all inner city services in Bangkok - had dual power supplies, Mr Supoj said. Those supplies ensure a continued flow of electricity to trains in case of a breakdown in power supplies.

He added that if a train did stop, traffic control would see the problem and deactivate other trains fast enough to prevent a collision. Also, the intervals between Bangkok's electric trains are long enough for authorities to prevent rear-end collisions.

Mr Supoj cited the 15-minute interval between express trains on the Airport Rail Link system that connects inner Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport.

Still, Thai authorities will study the collision in China to improve safety measures for Thai railways, he said.

Suchatvee Suwansawat, dean of the Faculty of Engineering of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, said back-up power supplies in Thailand would make a similar collision unlikely, or even impossible. Besides, controllers of Bangkok's airport link, skytrain and subways would automatically cut power supplies to trains on a problematic track if a train stalled. He said that a failure of a safety-oriented power shutdown function might have been the reason for the collision in China.

Yuthana Thapcharoen, governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said that during a test run of the SRT's Airport Rail Link before it became fully operational, the power system had broken down and the link had automatically stopped all trains to prevent a collision.

"If the electricity system is really out of order, the SRT has a back-up plan," he said. "Its controllers can switch to manual mode or use a phone to communicate [before an accident occurs]."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transport/248788/japan-keen-to-develop-high-speed-rail-service