Airport Chief Steps Down Amidst Crisis

[george]

SUVARNABHUMI

Airport chief steps down amidst crisis

AOT boss Chotisak cites 'poor health', general manager shifted to inactive post

BANGKOK: -- Heads have begun to roll at Suvarna-bhumi Airport. Under tremendous pressure over the mounting problems at the new airport Chotisak Asapaviriya yesterday resigned as president of Airports of Thailand (AOT).

His resignation was effective immediately.

Somchai Sawasdeepon, the general manager of AOT, was also shifted by the board to the inactive post of "company specialist".

The resignation of Chotisak and shifting of Somchai came after an endless series of scandals surrounding the new airport forced authorities to make plans to shift some domestic flights back to Don Muang Airport.

The AOT's board of directors appointed its vice president Kullaya Phakakong, who is responsible for planning and finance, to succeed Chotisak.

It also appointed Serirat Prasutanond, executive vice president for regional airports, to replace Somchai as general manager.

Chotisak voluntarily stepped down, citing ill health as the reason, a source from the AOT board said.

General Saprang Kalayanamitr, deputy commander of the Royal Thai Army, chaired the board meeting. He had been signalling for some time that he was unhappy with Chotisak's performance.

Chotisak, who obtained a score of 62 points on his six-month performance assessment last October, had been under pressure from a host of problems: from taxiway cracks and lost luggage to leaks in the terminal roof and damage to cargo.

His score was just above the target of 60 points and his performance was due to be re-assessed in three months.

Before joining AOT on April 3, Chotisak had worked at Siam City Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Bank of Thailand.

Somchai was not available for comment yesterday. His replacement, Serirat, said he would tackle the problems with urgency.

The industry veteran said he had not expected to be given the job.

Serirat said he would immediately call a meeting of executives to handle the crisis.

AOT's board earlier established three committees to investigate and resolve problems at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The first panel has been working on relieving the problems of passengers.

The second is overseeing security to eliminate crime and ensure adequate measures to combat

terrorism are in place. The third panel is responsible for tackling corruption.

-- The Nation 2007-02-02

[toptuan]

Well, now that all the airport problems are on their way to resolution, they can concentrate on that new nuclear plant!

[mark lamai]

yes yess yessssssss

please let us watch Thailand build a nuclear plant.....

pleaseeee!!!!!!!

[britmaveric]

yes yess yessssssss

please let us watch Thailand build a nuclear plant.....

pleaseeee!!!!!!!

Mai Kap Khun Krap

[Dupont]

yes yess yessssssss

please let us watch Thailand build a nuclear plant.....

pleaseeee!!!!!!!

Mai Kap Khun Krap

It'l certainly have the illegals legging it!

Poor bugger, he was very late arriving into this mess. Can't pin any of it on him, and now he's gone, there will be another period of total inaction until some other poor clod is found.

Bet all the paper shredders will be working hard this next day or so.

[AlexLah]

Why are some people that did wrong being rewarded an inactive post?

They still get payed and the only thing they do is reading newspapers.

Dear government you need to set some examples OK?

[ParadiseLost]

His score was just above the target of 60 points and his performance was due to be re-assessed in three months.

Is the translation correct? Should 'target' perhaps read 'minimum'?

Not a big deal by any means, but I would hope this individuals' performance has fallen well short of any targets set!

[ollyrosee]

who would be mad enough to take on that job ?? Their hands will be tied by the requirment for huge cash injections which will be hard to come by and the need to close down parts of the airport to fix the faults ! Severe confrontation looms ! oh the sorry results of poor project management and the alleged kickbacks !

[taxexile]

Chotisak voluntarily stepped down, citing ill health as the reason,

he's cracking up under the pressure , just like the runways.

[john b good]

Chotisak voluntarily stepped down, citing ill health as the reason,

he's cracking up under the pressure , just like the runways.

Had he not resigned he too would have been transferred to an "inactive post"

He has demonstrated what a fool he really is, as, he too could have continued to receive his full salary whilst reading the daily newspapers.

[thai_narak]

he will be the head of the next nuclear power plant project... Imagine a leakage there...

Edited February 2, 2007 by thai_narak