Activist accuses AOT of dodging compensation payments to residents around Suvarnabhumi

Activist accuses AOT of dodging compensation payments to residents around Suvarnabhumi

By The Nation

A public rights activist has criticised Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), the operator of Suvarnabhumi Airport, for avoiding paying compensation to aggrieved locals since the airport started operation in 2004.

Srisuwan Janya, president of the Stop Global Warming Association, said on Sunday that his association had received a lot of complaints from residents living in the north and south of Suvarnabhumi Airport about the noise levels since 2004, but until now the residents have not received compensation or any measures to alleviate their problems caused by pollution, noise and vibration when planes take off and land at the airport. He said the airport operations had affected their daily life and health.

He said some people have moved residence and some 10 per cent of residents have not received any compensation.

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) measured the noise level in 2015 at around 77-81 decibels, which is higher than the healthy noise level of not more than 70 decibels on average all day. He said the problem has not been resolved until today.

The activist also accused the AOT of not adhering to the environmental impact assessment (EIA) agreement to instal sound levels measuring meters at 13 stations. Many of the meters were damaged and the airport had not been able to measure the noise levels. 

He said the AOT might ignore the problem as executives have exempted them from submitting an EIA report for the third phase extension of the airport.

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382706