Balloonthreat Gets Aot Jittery

[TAWP]

Balloonthreat gets AoT jittery

Locals angry at aircraft noise plan disruption

Airport authorities are using carrot-and-stick tactics to deal with area residents fed up with loud aircraft noise who have threatened to launch balloons into the sky above Suvarnabhumi airport so as to disturb air traffic.

The threat from residents of 32 housing estates near the airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district underlines the fact that authorities have failed to solve aircraft noise problems affecting the residents although the airport has been in operation for almost a year now.

The airport was opened on Sept 28 last year. Airports of Thailand (AoT), which is under the Transport Ministry, is directly responsible for financial and other measures to solve the noise problems.

Transport Minister Theera Hao-charoen and other airport authorities did not treat the residents' threat lightly for fear that their protest action could cause aircraft accidents which would severely damage the reputation of the airport.

continued: http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/01Sep2007_news01.php

[dekka007]

Aircraft noise restrictions are already in force here. exactly what do these protestors want them to do.

If they do intend to release balloons as far as I am concerned this is a blatant attempt to endanger aircraft and passengers in which case they should be arrested for doing so and jailed for a very longtime as they would be for attempting such a stunt in most countries.

muppets....

[TAWP]

Watchtowers + sniper rifles, comes to mind...

[Bjorn]

I don't think there is any real "noise probelm" as they claim. What they are after is money compensation, nothing else.

[Ricardo]

I don't think there is any real "noise probelm" as they claim. What they are after is money compensation, nothing else.

I disgaree, I'm sure that the planes do make noise, when landing & more when taking-off, and this was not unknown to people who bought property round the airport while it was under-construction.

The compensation, or payments to enable sound-insulation to be fitted, is no doubt delayed or diverted into other (sticky fingered) hands or simply inadequate, hence the problem.

Personally I believe that Patriot-missiles would provide the biggest brown-envelopes, for solving the new problem, and will therefore be ordered, once payment in frozen-chicken can be negotiated.

[samran]

Isn't this a bunch of people who bought property around the airport, thinking that land prices would rise, built their houses and then found out that airports are noisy? Boo bloody hoo if that is the case.

Threatening action which puts travellers lives at stake is irresponsible and I hope that the authorities deal with them in the appropriate manner. Unfortunately, I think the government will skulk off and give them the money that they've been demanding.

[rainman]

How do you fix aircraft noise anyways? I've never seen an airplane take off with its engines off. And I doubt balloons are going to disrupt air traffic either, airplanes hit birds all the time without any problems.

[rainman]

If they do intend to release balloons as far as I am concerned this is a blatant attempt to endanger aircraft and passengers in which case they should be arrested for doing so and jailed for a very longtime as they would be for attempting such a stunt in most countries.

I think in the US, releasing balloons near an airport would fall under the anti-terrorism law and get you a few years in Cuba.

[Pushit]

Baloons? Nah....Attach tinfoil strips to the baloons.... Then you have a radar problem...

[lost_in_space]

I doubt if they are really going to release the balloons or that the powers that be will let them.

Some of them have a legitimate beef and now they have got AOT's attention. It's "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" tactic. Can't really blame them for that.

[TAWP]

FYI, I live in the [former] path of some of the outgoing flights from Don Muang and while the aircrafts could be heard - probably at the 70decibel level and above, they couldn't compete with music, screams or cheers from the neigbourhood during their parties/wednesdays drinking bins/watching fotball on tv together-days.

In a big city there is noise. Bying a property without realising this is unfortunate but not a reason for anyone else to open their wallets so you can buy more Mekong and make more noise...

[Big A]

....who have threatened to launch balloons into the sky above Suvarnabhumi airport so as to disturb air traffic.

Now that's a grown up and responsible attitude!

[sriracha john]

AOT does have a plan.... Drug all the residents into oblivion...

AoT gives sleeping pills as panacea

For most people, acquiring sleeping pills as the medicines can't be bought over the counter. But for villagers living near Suvarnabhumi airport, the drugs were delivered directly to their homes by Airports of Thailand (AoT) in the agency's latest attempt to silence residents' complaints about aircraft noise. Thanatos Preeprem is among neighbours who received dozens of sleeping pills from the AoT's mobile medical unit this year. ''I did not expect that the doctor would prescribe controlled medications that easily,'' said the 35-year-old artist whose house is around 400 metres from the north of the western runway. Mr Thanatos said the villagers' struggle had become fruitless since the AoT had failed to come up with any measures to mitigate aircraft noise. ''First they gave us earplugs, then sleeping pills. And now that some of us have developed respiratory problems, possibly caused by oil vapour from the aircraft, AoT suggested that we should buy a face-mask,'' he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/03Sep2007_news02.php

[Chang_paarp]

In Sydney the governmet solution was to pay for double glazing on all the houses for some kilometers around the airport. Again it was a case of moving close to the airport and complaining about the noise, although it has gotten worse as the airport became busier.

That said 70dB is loud and that is the standard for the buy back scheme, they have based it on a survey (?) or theory? If it is a survey then the levels may change as the airport bedomes more popular. The people comlaining at the moment are in the 65dB area, again that is still loud, and in some western countries noise levels that high would require hearing protection on any work site as part of the OH&S rules.

I don't think making sleeping pill junkies out of the affected people is the answer.

[Scott]

Since the plans for the airport had been underway for around 40 years, it probably would have been a good idea to buy up a much larger portion of the land than they did. Secondly any land that was questionable as for noise, safety etc., should have either been zoned as strictly agricultural or maybe industrial.

A very big problem in Thailand is that it is warm and therefore people have a tendency to keep windows & doors open. This greatly increases the noise.

I don't live anywhere near the airport, but occasionally, they do route planes in the area where I live and they are loud enough that I can't hear the TV. I don't know the decibel level would be where I live, they aren't very bothersome unless I am watching TV with the doors and windows open--then they p*ss me off and I can feel my blood pressure go up!

I am sure glad that UBC plays the same programs over and over and over again, because the chances of me not hearing what I missed the next time the program is on is pretty low!

[Payboy]

Baloons? Nah....Attach tinfoil strips to the baloons.... Then you have a radar problem...

that's right - they're talking about metallic balloons - not the latex ones!

remains to be seen, how many of those residents demanding compensation live in new housing estates i.e. less than 5 years old....

this seems more like a con than anything else...

[sriracha john]

Thanatos Preeprem, a nearby resident of Suvarnabhumi airport, shows off the ear plugs and sleeping pills the Airport of Thailand's medical unit gave him to help him get over the sleepless nights caused by roaring jet engines.

Bangkok Post

[kmart]

Sending Richard Branson in one of his bloody balloons up into the path of a 747 would be a great idea.

[Scott]

If the AOT is so jittery, they may have to take some of the medication they are dishing out!

This sounds like an excellent plan--I am thinking of moving into the area--on second thought, maybe we can just by the prescription drugs from the residents!

Sure hope they don't all end up as statistics during the next "War on Drugs."

[Payboy]

this balloon threat is all blown-up.... just hot air...

Edited September 4, 2007 by Payboy

[lazeeboy]

Aircraft noise restrictions are already in force here. exactly what do these protestors want them to do.

If they do intend to release balloons as far as I am concerned this is a blatant attempt to endanger aircraft and passengers in which case they should be arrested for doing so and jailed for a very longtime as they would be for attempting such a stunt in most countries.

muppets....

totally agree ,this is tantamount to murder..............

[Scott]

Of course, setting off balloons--or doing anything to interefere with the safety of others--is not acceptable. The problem, however, is that the gov't needs to get these people relocated. As long as the gov't continues to default on it's promises and renigh on it's agreements, the threat of something happening will be present.

One of the difficulties with noise pollution is that it is insidious and has a bad affect on the mental well-being of exposed people. Unless they are going to drug them all for a long time, they will have a problem.

[TAWP]

"Dear, will you please pass me the salt. These steaks *wroooms* realLY-GAWDDAMNITIMGONNAKILLEVERYONE!"

[Plus]

As far as I remember these particula housing estates are fifteen years old. There was no construction then.

People are reacting to AOT's broken promises, what else can they do to attract attention? Complain to a local MP?

[wpcoe]

As far as I remember these particula housing estates are fifteen years old. There was no construction then.

I've seen references in posts to the fact that the airport is over 40 years in the planning. Would it have been known 15 years ago that an airport was a probability, or merely a slim possibility?

[sriracha john]

"Dear, will you please pass me the salt. These steaks *wroooms* realLY-GAWDDAMNITIMGONNAKILLEVERYONE!"

what makes that so funny is...... that it may actually well come around exactly like that.

[wpcoe]

"Dear, will you please pass me the salt. These steaks *wroooms* realLY-GAWDDAMNITIMGONNAKILLEVERYONE!"

:D what makes that so funny is...... that it may actually well come around exactly like that.

Maybe lowering his salt intake will lower his blood pressure and alleviate the stress?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If they do intend to release balloons as far as I am concerned this is a blatant attempt to endanger aircraft and passengers in which case they should be arrested for doing so and jailed for a very longtime as they would be for attempting such a stunt in most countries.

I think in the US, releasing balloons near an airport would fall under the anti-terrorism law and get you a few years in Cuba.

quite a few I'd guess.

[sriracha john]

seems that the solution to all these noise issues is to..... make air passengers pay a special fee bumping up airfares even higher...

Passengers may pay noise compensation

Airports of Thailand (AoT) is considering collecting a special fee from passengers and airlines using Suvarnabhumi airport to compensate residents affected by aircraft noise. The AoT board yesterday discussed sources of funding for the compensation and came up with an idea used in Australia and Japan, where a special fee is collected from those who cause the noise pollution. Passengers and airline operators who use the airport would be charged the fee, said AoT board spokesman Chirmsak Pinthong. The board has asked AoT to study details of the proposal and set a suitable rate before submitting its findings to the board before the end of next month. If approved, the proposal will be sent to the Transport Ministry, which will forward it for cabinet approval no later than November, he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/07Sep2007_news04.php

[sriracha john]

"Dear, will you please pass me the salt. These steaks *wroooms* realLY-GAWDDAMNITIMGONNAKILLEVERYONE!"

what makes that so funny is...... that it may actually well come around exactly like that.

uh oh.... looks like someone asked for salt:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=141638

"People protesting against noise pollution at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport clashed with airport officials"