Bangkok's four-month-old Suvarnabhumi Airport has come in for even more criticism after aviation authorities have withheld the airport's international safety certificate because of repairs that are being made to cracks in the runway.

The Department of Civil Aviation has refused to issue a new certificate for the airport, even though this will not stop aviation operations at Suvarnabhumi. Neither will its failure to create a safety committee, as is required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Local officials say that the safety certificate will be issued in good time and the airport is not obliged to obey ICAO's safety committee recommendation because Thai law does not require it anyway.
According to Thai officials, there are 25 areas on the runway and tarmac that have cracks, meaning that 11 out of a total 51 air bridges can no longer be used until these cracks are repaired. Pressure on the airport was being relieved last week with several flights being diverted.
Just to add to the airport?s woes, a worker helping to build a train link at the airport was also tragically killed last week when he was hit by falling metal scaffolding.