At Pad Thai Yesterday Is Today

     Yesterday is today as air cargo companies that could not clear their goods transported by Bangkok Flight Services (BFS) from the just opened Suvarnabhumi Airport went back to the future with paper documents when as the airport debuted, the company computer system could not be connected to Customs.
     Stewart Sinclair, managing director Bangkok Flight Services and VP Asia for WFS said that the situation was easing after the company's computers installed by Thai Airport Ground Services were about to be connected to Customs Department as planned.
     “We are ready for business and take responsibility on a case by case basis.”
     Mr. Sinclair did not seem to be faring any worse for the recent press coverage including some local Thai stories that identified him as Sinclair Stewart.
     “Call me anything, but not late for dinner,” the youthful executive smiled.
     A fan of spicy Thai chicken salad and unwinding at the beach, Sinclair takes the heat these days, having arrived at WFS in 1992 from a school that eschews the limelight in favor of behind the scene competence.
     “In addition to other responsibilities including opportunities for new business in markets, getting our service delivery right is top priority right now.
     “So it’s all hands against that objective.
     “We are assisting our business partners every step of the way and plan to be right with IT and all our systems at once.”
     Responding to mounting complaints elsewhere at Pad Thai, Transport Minister Wanchai Sarathul promised that Suvarnabhumi Airport will run as smoothly as Bangkok International Airport (Don Muang) within two months.
     “By November, the staff will be accustomed to the new facility.
     “Working at as much as 80 percent of its maximum capacity, the new airport will be as reliable as Don Muang,” said Wanchai after chairing a meeting among airport agencies to discuss problems during Suvarnabhumi’s first few days of full operations.
     The better than Don promise may be little consolation to carriers and other airport support services that are now stuck in the new airport as it works out its glitches after everyone moved over en-masse to the new gateway on Friday, September 29.
     Slow but sure are the operative words as the new airport gets unfurled.
(Geoffrey)