Thai Airport's Latest Flaw: Cracks In Taxiways

The new international airport in Bangkok has about 100 cracks in the taxiways that lead up to runways, requiring closure of the damaged areas for repair, a top Thailand airport official said, according to the AP. The announcement marks the latest batch of bad publicity for the Bangkok airport since it opened Sept. 28. The airport's two runways are each served by more than 10 taxiways, according to Somchai Sawasdeepon, the general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport. An independent panel of engineers is due to begin a separate investigation, Somchai said. A statement from the contractor, a Thai-Japanese joint venture called IOT, said four taxiways and 10 taxilanes, which lead to aircraft-parking areas, were affected by the cracks. Suvarnabhumi Airport was heralded as one of the crowning achievements of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra before he was ousted in a Sept. 19 coup.