Where do old Thai Airways 747s go?

[Andrew Reeve]

 

A Chai Nat local loved the Thai Airways Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets so much he bought an old one when it came up for auction.

OneMileAtATime.com is reporting that Thai Airways is slowly phasing out its fleet of Boeing 747s with 10 still in active service, and a further 10 stored, or for sale.

Given there are hundreds of 747s around the world already in storage and/or being scrapped for parts, there’s not a lot of demand for second or third hand versions of this aircraft.

Thai did list two 747s for sale by auction back in 2015 – both were manufactured back in 1990 and have been in storage since 31 March 2015.

Thai Airways did sell a 747 at auction recently to a local man, Somchai Phukieow, for an undisclosed amount. He owns a large amount of land in the Chai Nat province, around 100 kms north of Bangkok.

This Article was published by Thaiger, 2 years ago on Monday, December 3, 2018

 

[MikeB]

Also a few of the freight companies have bought some of the 747's for freighters. Cargo LUX is one of these companies 

[gummy]

On 5/11/2021 at 7:23 PM, Andrew Reeve said:

A Chai Nat local loved the Thai Airways Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets so much he bought an old one when it came up for auction.

OneMileAtATime.com is reporting that Thai Airways is slowly phasing out its fleet of Boeing 747s with 10 still in active service, and a further 10 stored, or for sale.

Given there are hundreds of 747s around the world already in storage and/or being scrapped for parts, there’s not a lot of demand for second or third hand versions of this aircraft.

Thai did list two 747s for sale by auction back in 2015 – both were manufactured back in 1990 and have been in storage since 31 March 2015.

Thai Airways did sell a 747 at auction recently to a local man, Somchai Phukieow, for an undisclosed amount. He owns a large amount of land in the Chai Nat province, around 100 kms north of Bangkok.

This Article was published by Thaiger, 2 years ago on Monday, December 3, 2018

Didn't one of them go to some well known person garden ?

[Andrew Reeve]

Quote

 

 

Posted May 11 · IP 

A Chai Nat local loved the Thai Airways Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets so much he bought an old one when it came up for auction.

OneMileAtATime.com is reporting that Thai Airways is slowly phasing out its fleet of Boeing 747s with 10 still in active service, and a further 10 stored, or for sale.

Given there are hundreds of 747s around the world already in storage and/or being scrapped for parts, there’s not a lot of demand for second or third hand versions of this aircraft.

Thai did list two 747s for sale by auction back in 2015 – both were manufactured back in 1990 and have been in storage since 31 March 2015.

Thai Airways did sell a 747 at auction recently to a local man, Somchai Phukieow, for an undisclosed amount. He owns a large amount of land in the Chai Nat province, around 100 kms north of Bangkok.

This Article was published by Thaiger, 2 years ago on Monday, December 3, 2018

 

In answer to your question @gummy

[gummy]

Thanks for that but that was not what I was alluding to. In fact I was wrong as it was a 737 (not a 747) painted in Thai airways colours that is parked in a certain persons garden in the Dusit area of Bangkok.

[Andrew Reeve]

There is very little about it and only found 1 site that listened it as been on the royal palace grounds.

[Andrew Reeve]

Thai Airways have four B747-4 parked and stored at Suvarnabhumi airport. The aircraft have been maintained by a team of ground engineers and you would presume in preparation to be sold.

[gummy]

On 7/6/2021 at 4:39 PM, Andrew Reeve said:

There is very little about it and only found 1 site that listened it as been on the royal palace grounds.

Actually that is a 737. I believe the one outside Terminal 21 in Pattaya is also a 737 ? someone correct me if I am wrong. As for the 747 then there is one just outside of Nong Khai at the entrance to an open air  market/restaurant complex and I understood also in Pattaya around soi 5/6/7 areas ? Not been there for a long time so perhaps someone could confirm.

[2Lotus2]

Its a 737. But has been simplified. Engines and engine pylons are fake. Lots of nasty sharp things like vortex generators are removed. The main landing gear tires are covered up..... And on and on.

[Pongo]

The Pattaya 747 is an old "Orange Air" 747 Reg N899TH (Not my pic, credit to the original author on Thai Visa)

 

 

I think the days of the older, aged 747 Airframes are long gone. THAI operated some fairly long-in-the-tooth 747's, my last trip on a THAI 747 was on "Phimara" (HS-TGZ) which was manufactured in 99, at time of writing I think they are all in storage or in the process of being decommissioned.

If you have ever travelled on a BA747 or have a soft spot for the Queen of the Skies, there is a website where you can buy a part of one of them, possibly even one you have been on, if you email them and give the date/ route it is possible to find out which Aircraft was operating at the time. These guys are very helpful, albeit not the cheapest though.:

https://www.aerotiques.co.uk/

As for THAI, I don't think we'll ever see that awesome livery on a 747 in the skies again :(

 

[2Lotus2]

When the airplane is truly at the end of its life in the US, all the worthwhile parts are stripped out and they are torn apart for the metal, and recycled.

In Thailand, they seem to end up in peoples back yards.

 

[bushav8r]

There is an airplane graveyard off of Ramkhamhaeng Road in Bangkok.  It has a few planes,  one of which is a 747.  You can climb aboard the old 747 and sit in the cockpit.  It is a cool place to take photos.  You have to pay a few hundred baht to gain access.

[2Lotus2]

More or less intact 747, with engines, off highway 346. West of Bang Len.

[BraveNewFahrenheit]

I have seen that one on 346, been there for a few years I think at least.

I have many fond memories on Thai 744's, especially the F flights to Hong Kong and Sydney that used to be really cheap with United miles.

I saw that TG put them all up for bid 7 or 8 months ago but I think there were zero offers...sadly most will probably be scrapped...I can see that happening with the A380 as well.

[BuffaloWhisperer]

They could ask for a budget to dress them up as 787s... that would look good on the books.

[longwood50]

UPS and Fed Ex are buyers of 747"s that still are useful.  Either for spare parts or to use for cargo.  While the planes are not fuel efficient by today's standards, they carry so much freight that the cargo companies find them better than today's smaller jets.