Ubon Airport - go to the toilet before visiting!

[bobforest]

I had the (mis)fortune to go to Ubon Airport today to pick someone up on an incoming flight. I've used the airport regularly over a period of 13 years (pick-ups, drop-offs, and personal incoming and outgoing flights). It's a developing regional airport with an increasing number of flights.

About 3 to 4 months ago, it had a fire. I was there the next morning dropping off a friend and saw some of the damage from the outside. It didn't look that major but I'm not qualified to judge. Three to four months later, there is still little appearance of work being done - maybe it's all internal but there doesn't seem to be much construction activity from the outside.

Departures continue to be processed from desks in what was once the general sitting area, and arrivals are shunted out to their friends who wait under tarpaulin covers. Everything seems bearable at the moment in the cool and dry times, but I'm not sure how it will go in the hot and wet times. Black Canyon has built itself a small glass air-conditioned box and other shops have re-located to next to the car park area.

Today, I arrived about 20 minutes before the arrival of my friend's plane. I saw the sign 'Mobile Toilet' that had previously been next to the green toilet bus that I have seen around Ubon for 13 years at Candle Festivals, fairs, re-building of markets, and other events. However, the bus had been replaced by 4 'porta-loos.' One was locked but I don't think there was anyone in it. One had its door swinging in the wind showing off its flooded floor and squat toilet to the world. The two with doors closed but able to open revealed characteristics of toilets throughout Isan - smelly, poorly ventilated, no paper, and plenty of water on the floor but no water coming out of the ubiquitous blue pipe with tap attached.

Welcome to 2015 at Ubon International Airport!

[Bettyboo]

Welcome to 2015 at Ubon International Airport!

Have the Thais suggested a GP, Tour de France, stage of teh Paris Dakar or Olympics?

[Hans Mann]

^Nah, no need for such knick knacks, it's already a mature tourism hub. It's got the Black Canyon.

[terry57]

Ehh,

Nasty arsed story that one and totally unacceptable for an Airport.

Unusual for Thailand as they are usually onto this stuff EH.

[baldrick]

It's got the Black Canyon

is that what happens to the blackboxes after they have been used and abused over the years ?

[Dave the Dude]

You obviously haven't worked on a building site!
There are also toilets near to departures within the airport building.

[bobforest]

Yes I have worked on building sites in UK and Australia - toilet conditions were not as bad as I found at Ubon Airport.

There may be toilets at the departure area. If you're so familiar with the place, you'd know that the arrival area is about 200/300 m past the departure area. Why would I be in the departure area if I was meeting someone who was arriving?

[BaitongBoy]

Is this a philosophical question?...

[tom21]

I have found most toilets in issan to be of a reasonable standard. ubon airport must be one of the few bad ones's