Thailand flights in rainy season
Mar 26, 2015, 8:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,324
Thailand flights in rainy season
I flew from Chiang Mai to BKK Wednesday night. Boarding just a couple of minutes late. The pilot told that the weather was bad in BKK and we had to wait 15-30 minutes but in fact we waited over one hour. Then flight with heavy headwind of over 120 kmh, waiting circle north of Bangkok and then flying through heavy thunderstorm and the plane was hit by lighting. Total 2 hours delay
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...angkok-flights
scary are not the delays and diverted planes but 6 emergencies because of low fuel. Except Don Muang, which is very close and usually also affected by the same thunderstorms there are not many alternative airports for wide body aircrafts close by
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...angkok-flights
scary are not the delays and diverted planes but 6 emergencies because of low fuel. Except Don Muang, which is very close and usually also affected by the same thunderstorms there are not many alternative airports for wide body aircrafts close by
Mar 26, 2015, 8:47 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
It's not unusual for BKK WX to utilize UTP, assuming it's unaffected. Planes then wait it out at UTP before flying on to BKK.
Given DMK's increased volume I'm not sure they can handle over-flow. I'm not even certain if they've fully repaired the parallel runway, even though these are too close for simultaneous operation.
If it can be avoided I always recommend avoiding smaller provincial airports during the rainy season, or if you have to fly, fly in the early AM when weather and visibility are less of an issue.
The weather here in Bangkok on Wed. afternoon was interesting to say the least. Pumps, khlongs, canals, sewers are all still clogged so the localized flooding was extraordinarily huge. The Tops market in the basement at the Westin was flooded in a minute or two. I was driving out Udom Suk to Sri Na Karin Road when it hit, and it wasn't too bad, at Seacon Square it was dry.
Later on in the evening I heard it was quite bad east of the city, so near BKK, with intensely high winds and thunderstorms.
UPDATE Storms Delay, Divert 108 Flights at Bangkok's Airports
Thursday, March 26, 2015
A TOTAL of 108 flights were grounded, delayed or diverted at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Muang Airport with the heaviest period of downpour between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, according to officials in the capital.
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/floods-...bangkok-22117/
http://www.tmd.go.th/en/province.php?id=37
Note that a 10% chance of thunderstorms really means it's 100% in one small area and 0% in another.
Given DMK's increased volume I'm not sure they can handle over-flow. I'm not even certain if they've fully repaired the parallel runway, even though these are too close for simultaneous operation.
If it can be avoided I always recommend avoiding smaller provincial airports during the rainy season, or if you have to fly, fly in the early AM when weather and visibility are less of an issue.
The weather here in Bangkok on Wed. afternoon was interesting to say the least. Pumps, khlongs, canals, sewers are all still clogged so the localized flooding was extraordinarily huge. The Tops market in the basement at the Westin was flooded in a minute or two. I was driving out Udom Suk to Sri Na Karin Road when it hit, and it wasn't too bad, at Seacon Square it was dry.
Later on in the evening I heard it was quite bad east of the city, so near BKK, with intensely high winds and thunderstorms.
UPDATE Storms Delay, Divert 108 Flights at Bangkok's Airports
Thursday, March 26, 2015
A TOTAL of 108 flights were grounded, delayed or diverted at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Muang Airport with the heaviest period of downpour between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, according to officials in the capital.
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/floods-...bangkok-22117/
http://www.tmd.go.th/en/province.php?id=37
Note that a 10% chance of thunderstorms really means it's 100% in one small area and 0% in another.
Last edited by transpac; Mar 26, 2015 at 8:53 pm
Mar 31, 2015, 12:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: HSV (formerly AUS)
Programs: AA MM (like it matters!) All of my flying was personal travel, and COVID-19 stopped that.
Posts: 223
I miss ALL the fun!
I flew out of BKK on March 21. No surprises at all, except for the JAL Customer Service agent, who went Above And Beyond to make checking in for the flight out absolutely painless.
Every time I think I have JAL Customer Service calibrated, and know what to expect, they manage to surprise me, always in a nice way.
I flew out of BKK on March 21. No surprises at all, except for the JAL Customer Service agent, who went Above And Beyond to make checking in for the flight out absolutely painless.
Every time I think I have JAL Customer Service calibrated, and know what to expect, they manage to surprise me, always in a nice way.
Apr 8, 2015, 5:34 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 18
Hey guys,
I'm a regular traveller in Thailand, Rainy season is the most dangerous part of the year. Look at most of the incidents (one-2-go etc.) they occurred in severe storms.
As for DMK I was there in January and both runways were being using for parallel ops.
Departures were off 21L and arrivals on 21R. This is the most common pattern due to 21R/03L having high speed exits.
I'm a regular traveller in Thailand, Rainy season is the most dangerous part of the year. Look at most of the incidents (one-2-go etc.) they occurred in severe storms.
As for DMK I was there in January and both runways were being using for parallel ops.
Departures were off 21L and arrivals on 21R. This is the most common pattern due to 21R/03L having high speed exits.
Apr 9, 2015, 12:25 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,324
just a pity that rainy season goes from April to October and above thunderstorm occurred already in March...one-2-go accident was in Phuket; landing in thunderstorms there is worse then in BKK or DMK
Apr 9, 2015, 6:44 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 18
Yes I agree rainy season is long. I was referring to accidents like QF over run etc, the one 2 go was just an example of worst case. During the worst of the rainy season it's nearly a weekly news article about a runway excursion.
Apr 10, 2015, 1:53 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,324
QF over run? that was over 15 years ago in good old Don Muang!
Apr 13, 2015, 5:34 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,324
Apr 13, 2015, 6:36 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Apr 13, 2015, 10:35 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
We've had quite a bit of "early" weather here, certainly unusual in my 10+ years here. It was quite bad again out towards BKK last Tuesday (7 April), with extremely high winds, thunderstorms and torrential rain, both in the AM and PM. Parts of Bangkok got inundated, again.
Elsewhere in Thailand from Phuket, to the North, there have been strong storms - even some with hail. I am in the north (Phrae/Lampang) and we had a huge rain storm on Saturday, but at least it has relieved the smoke/smog/haze and temps.
I did see a weather advisory for the Gulf of Thailand, and the South for the next few days.
All that said, it seems like the local aviation regulatory issues are leading to more cancellations than weather. I think some 600 people got stranded at DMK recently as their flights were not allowed to depart to Japan.
Elsewhere in Thailand from Phuket, to the North, there have been strong storms - even some with hail. I am in the north (Phrae/Lampang) and we had a huge rain storm on Saturday, but at least it has relieved the smoke/smog/haze and temps.
I did see a weather advisory for the Gulf of Thailand, and the South for the next few days.
All that said, it seems like the local aviation regulatory issues are leading to more cancellations than weather. I think some 600 people got stranded at DMK recently as their flights were not allowed to depart to Japan.
May 23, 2015, 10:27 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SE Asia
Programs: Thai ROP GOLD, SIA Silver Kris, QANTAS FF, Velocity Rewards, Emirates Skywards
Posts: 340
Update on above - oddly enough it has turned out to be a very dry start to the monsoon season here in Thailand. Haven't seen it this dry in years (they're saying El Nino to blame, good old El Nino).
Phuket nearly running out of water supplies, Bangkok still hot as ****.
Still the odd storm, but monsoon definitely late and not as wet for same time previous years
Phuket nearly running out of water supplies, Bangkok still hot as ****.
Still the odd storm, but monsoon definitely late and not as wet for same time previous years
May 23, 2015, 7:33 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
oddly enough it has turned out to be a very dry start to the monsoon season here in Thailand
Thailand is a large country, with many, many, many different regional weather patterns. Even in Bangkok, we've had torrential, monsoon-like downpours this week, at my condo in town, while at the house 10 Km away it is sunny, and vice-versa the next day. I've even seen it raining on one side of the street and dry on the other, so I wouldn't read too much into the local weather?
There have been some massively violent storms over the past few weeks in the north, central and eastern provinces wiping out thousands of houses.
I agree that total average rainfall, the storage in dams, is way on the low-side, and that many tourist destinations (Phuket, Pattaya) are running low on water, while drowning in sewage.
For Bangkok the TMD says
Cloudy with widely scattered thundershowers mostly in afternoon to evening. Minimum Temperature 27-28 °C. Maximum Temperature 35-36 °C. Southwesterly winds 15-30 km/hr.
with 30 - 40% precip. for the upcoming week.
30 - 40% precip means that it will rain in Bangkok, just not in every section.
Thailand is a large country, with many, many, many different regional weather patterns. Even in Bangkok, we've had torrential, monsoon-like downpours this week, at my condo in town, while at the house 10 Km away it is sunny, and vice-versa the next day. I've even seen it raining on one side of the street and dry on the other, so I wouldn't read too much into the local weather?
There have been some massively violent storms over the past few weeks in the north, central and eastern provinces wiping out thousands of houses.
I agree that total average rainfall, the storage in dams, is way on the low-side, and that many tourist destinations (Phuket, Pattaya) are running low on water, while drowning in sewage.
For Bangkok the TMD says
Cloudy with widely scattered thundershowers mostly in afternoon to evening. Minimum Temperature 27-28 °C. Maximum Temperature 35-36 °C. Southwesterly winds 15-30 km/hr.
with 30 - 40% precip. for the upcoming week.
30 - 40% precip means that it will rain in Bangkok, just not in every section.