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Thailand, Moldova & Turkey:  Part 1 Thailand 29 March - 1 April 09  Kevin Perry

I must admit this sounds like a very ambitious trip, and on reflection it was, two weeks holiday involving twelve flights to three very different places, worlds apart. There's no way I can complete all this in one report, so each country will be done separately, and we begin with Thailand. My reports will be in the form of photo-reports, as not being a 'spotter' there will be no lists of numbers.

Firstly, a quick introduction for those who don't know me, as this is my first report for dtvmovements. I am an aircraft photographer and a regular at Teesside for thirty years now. I switched to digital format three years ago after shooting on slide film since 1986 and print film before that, and these days use a Canon EOS5D with 24-105 and a new EOS5D Mark II with a 100-400 lens.
As well as the photography, I've also done my fair share of editorial work, starting as a section editor on the old TAS magazine before moving onto Air North magazine where I was Over flights editor for ten years. A particular interest was monitoring AAR flights, and later had a book published on this subject called 'Cleared to Contact'. All seems a long time ago now!
I'm fortunate enough to work on aircraft, being in the aircraft painting profession for over twelve years now. Starting off contracting with UK companies Sprayavia and Air Livery, the work took me around the UK and Europe, including a time at Teesside working in Hangar 2. Other time has been spent with GPA Expressair in Dublin and Maastricht, as well as time at Shannon and various other short term contracts. A big change came in 2004 when I secured a job in Saudi Arabia, working on the RSAF Tornado IDS aircraft, and after three years in Riyadh am now at Dhahran.

These days my local airport is Bahrain, being about one hours drive (if the causeway is not busy), and this is where the trip begins, in the early hours of Thu 26/3/09 with Emirates flight EK8836 to Dubai on an A330-200. After a few hours layover it was then onto EK418 to Bangkok on a B777-300ER, followed by the final leg of the day, with Bangkok Air flight PG199 to Koh Samui on a B717-200, arriving at 2200.

The first part of this holiday was actually a week in Thailand with the wife, so not a great deal of photography was done, though I did manage a couple of days. I'd heard that Koh Samui airport was 'the most beautiful in the world' and now I know why. It is built almost in the style of an 'open air' beach resort, with very well kept wooden buildings, and although is quite busy with the constant shuttles from/to Bangkok, it is a very laid back place and a pleasure to go through.
Although actually privately owned by Bangkok Air, the airport now has a few services by other airlines, including Thai Airways with Bangkok flights a couple of times a day using B737-400's. More interesting are a couple of services from Malaysia, with Firefly ATR-72's and Berjaya Air Dash-7's operating a couple of days a week, with the latter maybe changing to ATR's soon? Incidentally, Bangkok Air operate around fifteen Bangkok shuttles each way every day (plus other services) using A319, B717 and ATR-72 aircraft. As well as this traffic, the airport sees occasional biz-jet movements.
As for photography, the airport is a safe, relaxed place, with no strict security. Very good shots can be taken from the terminal (not even any glass!), with the single runway (35/17) very close. Running pretty much North-South, the sun is good in the morning from the terminal side.
While there I decided to hire a scooter for a couple of days (great fun and managed to stay on it!), and this gave me the chance to find some good spots to shoot from. In the morning, the area to the left of the departure terminal is good (with raised ground meaning no fences to bother you), with the small car park being fine, or if you go a bit further, you can get even closer to the runway with the fence that is there having a few big gaps in it! As an example, an A319 from here is about 100mm'.
To the right of the terminals, if you follow the roads around, there is a security controlled area, but even from here I was given a temp pass and was allowed to stand and photograph. Shots from here are incredible, with an A319 about 50mm! I only discovered it on the last day though so its another reason to go back one day!
On the opposite side of the runway there is another great spot, at the threshold of R17, which is ideal in the afternoon until dusk. Following the road further around, after passing under the approach for R17, take the first left-turn straight away and this takes you to a kind of crash gate. Because its only around two feet high there is a security guard there. However, it is popular with locals and there is no problem shooting there. Aircraft lining up and landing on R17 are VERY close here, almost too close for photography! When using R35, great take off shots can be had from here. Fantastic Airport!

Koh Samui HS-TDD Thai backtracking for departure on Rwy 35	Koh Samui HS-PGN Airbus A319 Bangkok Air rolling out after landing Rwy 17	Koh Samui 9M-FYC ATR-72 Firefly arriving from Subang	Koh Samui HS-PGS Airbus A319 Bangkok Air final app Rwy 35	Koh Samui HS-PGS Airbus A319 Bangkok Air touching down Rwy 35	Koh Samui HS-PGR Boeing 717 Bangkok Air lined up on Rwy 35
Koh Samui HS-PGN Airbus A319 Bangkok Air backtracking for dep on Rwy 17, taken from the crash gate.	Koh Samui HS-PGX Airbus A319 Bangkok Air lined up Rwy 17	Koh Samui HS-PGD ATR-72 Bangkok Air in Siem Reap Air colours landing Rwy 17	Koh Samui HS-PGQ Boeing 717 Bangkok Air landing Rwy 17	Koh Samui HS-TDH Boeing 737-400 depated Rwy 35 for Bangkok

After five nights at Chewang Beach it was time to leave, so on Tue 31/3/09 we took Bangkok Air flight PG138, an A319 back to Bangkok, for two nights stay. The following day I got a taxi for a few hours to take me around a few places I had in mind (using some customised maps I had printed from Google Earth!). Its only a start on what could be a lot of time spent 'doing Bangkok', with two good airports and a lot of relics lying around. My intention for the short amount of time I had was to visit Don Muang airport, which of course these days only has some domestic flights as well as the very nice airbase and museum on the other side. First of all though it was off to try and find some relics... first stop was the Royal Thai Police Air Service museum just to the Southeast of Don Muang on the Rarm Intra highway. Not a large place with less than ten aircraft, but still nice with the C-47 my reason to visit. The adjoining small airfield/heliport has Police choppers, with hangars containing around a dozen wfu Bell 205/206's, and just the one present outside. A request to photography was turned down 'as they are government aircraft'. As long as I got the Dak! A bit further Southeast along the same highway is the Siam Park theme park, where Convair 440 N102KA is present... sorry, WAS present! After paying to get in and walking around in the sweltering heat I eventually found out the aircraft is no longer there. S**t happens!

Police Museum 1815 Dornier Do27 ex Royal Thai Police	Police Museum 801 Sikorsky S-62 ex Royal Thai Police	Police Museum 219789 C-47A on the gate ex Royal Thai Police

So, with some success it was back to Don Muang for the RTAF museum. Had a quick look around the airport first, but there isn't anywhere good really to shoot from apart from landing shots at the end of the runways... another time. The museum though is nice and easy, with plenty of good stuff. Also located on the airfield is another, very tasty relic! Caravelle XU-JTB, which I think is in the SE corner of the airfield (Fire Section?), but no luck this time trying to get it!

Don Muang 158405 OV-10C Bronco	Don Muang 38371/70143 F-5B at the entrance	Don Muang 38438/70101 F-5A	Don Muang 547 C-47A Dakota	Don Muang 555 C-123B Packet	Don Muang 60132 G-222
Don Muang F-5A	Don Muang 97158/70104 RF-5A	Don Muang F12-12 Cessna T37C	Don Muang various F-5A's stored	Don Muang RFB Fantrainer 400's	Don Muang KH-14-1 Spitfire FR.14E
Don Muang ex MB410 Firefly FR.1	Don Muang RFAFT5 a locally produced version of the OV-10 Bronco	Don Muang T1-2/98 Survey Prince 3A

As I said, Bangkok needs a lot more time to do, and is very worthwhile. A good time to visit is for the 'Children's Day' air shows at the start of the year, when the Thai airports are thrown open. Certainly Don Muang and U-Taphao are a must... next January then?!
So that was the end of the first part of the holiday... out of Bangkok on Thu 2/4/09 with Emirates flight EK373 to Dubai, another B777-300ER. Then onto Istanbul and Moldova! ...next report.

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