Air Force Pursues 3 Billion Baht Compensation from AOT Over Golf Course Usage

[webfact]

 

The Royal Thai Air Force is demanding compensation of 3 billion baht from Airports of Thailand (AOT) for proposed use of Kantarat Golf Course, located between two main airport runways, to expand Don Mueang International Airport. The information was communicated by Jirayu Huangsap, the Defence Ministry spokesperson.

 

A House committee invited representatives of AOT, the Air Force, and Thailand's aviation authorities to discuss the takeover of the golf course land at Don Mueang. Jirayu, as chairman of the House committee, stated that airport safety would be enhanced without the golf course.

 

AOT president, Kirati Kitmanawat, emphasized the takeover necessity to uphold aviation safety. Instances of golfers driving across taxiways despite warnings have been noted. However, Air Vice Marshal Thanachai Arkartwattana, representing the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), maintained that the golf course met aviation safety standards and that the RTAF had been strict in upholding airport safety.

 

Valuing the golf course at about 100 million baht per year, Thanachai stated that if AOT intended to use it for 30 years, a compensation of roughly 3 billion baht was due to the RTAF. Jirayu confirmed that a report on the issue would be compiled for government consideration.

 

File photo courtesy of ThaiPBS

 

-- 2024-05-01

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[spidermike007]

As if these goons do not already siphon enough of the annual budget. And what do the people get in return? Where are the regional threats? Why such an inordinate level of power? If anything, the Armed Forces here need to be denied access to more funds. 

[fondue zoo]

Is this a joke? They allowed a golf course between two runways? Like inside the perimeter of the airport?

I'd Google it but I just cant Google anymore "stupid" today.

 

 

 

[stoner]

here i thought the army of a nation was there to protect it...not to pillage it. 

[Korat Kiwi]

Nothing is free between government departments.  I'm sure at the end of the year the all come together for a big knees up. 

 

A smoke concert is held where they get the chance of one upmanship by telling the congregation of their conquests during the year. 

 

Whoever has the best story/monetary gain gets promotion. 

[mfd101]

But but but ... This golf course is VITAL for national security. Without it we would have nowhere to park our F16s for lunch and dinner.

[TigerandDog]

7 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

Is this a joke? They allowed a golf course between two runways? Like inside the perimeter of the airport?

I'd Google it but I just cant Google anymore "stupid" today.

 

 

 

You're the joke. If you had googled Kantarat Golf Course you would find that yes, it is between the 2 runways BUT even the worst possible shanked golf shot will not reach the runway. Anybody who has not played golf on this course has no right to comment as they will be talking out of their backsides. I've played Kantarat many times and have never seen anybody hit a golf shot that even remotely have an impact on airport safety.

The RTAF should be telling AOT to go take a running jump, the golf course stays put.

[john donson]

the army = government, so whatever they 'have', belongs to the people, who else pays for everything, now demanding 3 billion to fill THEIR pockets, generals and such ? why is this allowed ?  

 

 

[VocalNeal]

7 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

They allowed a golf course between two runways? Like inside the perimeter of the airport?

 

I suspect the golf course was there when it was a military airfield and before it was a commercial airport.🤔

Some of the bunkers may be WWII bomb craters.

[Guderian]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Jirayu, as chairman of the House committee, stated that airport safety would be enhanced without the golf course.

 

Back in the days before Swampy, I always used to wonder how safe it was at Don Muang with that golf course stuck in the middle of the runways. Although I'm not aware of it ever having caused an incident, like a flying golf ball getting sucked into a 747's engine, the above comment seems to suggest that it never was 100% safe, which an airport really should be.

[natway09]

Correct me if I am wrong but is not all land being used by Government Departments "Crown Land" ??

If that is so then with Government of the day, Crown Land Department  & Monarch's consent the land can be repurposed  for the betterment of people without compensation to any said Government Department.

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

when it was a military airfield

That doesn't mean the AF holds title to the property that should otherwise be held by Thailand Treasury which finances the military through annual disbursements collected from Thailand taxpayers. 

It's as if the Thai military has its own sovereignty vs the sovereignty of the Thai electorate. 

[mikebike]

9 hours ago, stoner said:

here i thought the army of a nation was there to protect it...not to pillage it. 

You think golf takes presidence over the military? If you want convenient green space, they own it, you PAY FOR IT. Pillage my behind.

[stoner]

48 minutes ago, mikebike said:

You think golf takes presidence over the military? If you want convenient green space, they own it, you PAY FOR IT. Pillage my behind.

 

remind me again who pays for the military to operate ? 

[fondue zoo]

18 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

You're the joke. If you had googled Kantarat Golf Course you would find that yes, it is between the 2 runways BUT even the worst possible shanked golf shot will not reach the runway. Anybody who has not played golf on this course has no right to comment as they will be talking out of their backsides. I've played Kantarat many times and have never seen anybody hit a golf shot that even remotely have an impact on airport safety.

The RTAF should be telling AOT to go take a running jump, the golf course stays put.

 

 

Aye, I had read "Kirati noted that, on several occasions, golfers have breached restrictions by driving golf carts across the taxi ways, despite the warning signals."

 

 

 

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, fondue zoo said:

 

 

Aye, I had read "Kirati noted that, on several occasions, golfers have breached restrictions by driving golf carts across the taxi ways, despite the warning signals."

 

 

 

Not entirely correct. It's impossible to drive a cart onto the taxi ways beside the golf course as there are water filled canals (see pic #1), too deep and too steep for a golf cart to drive through, bordering both sides of the golf course. There is one section where the taxi way dissects the course (see pic #2, with traffic light) so planes can move from one runway to the other, but anyone that is silly enough to walk or drive a cart on there while a plane is taxiing  deserves to suffer the consequences.

[VocalNeal]

14 hours ago, stoner said:

remind me again who pays for the military to operate ? 

 

Not you🤔

 

OR me🙂

Edited May 2 by VocalNeal

[Sydebolle]

Golf, to me (and I do not play golf) is a quiet, relaxing pastime - how do roaring engines of extended-range-aircraft fit into this equation?

The Air Force never bought the land as the government cannot buy land from the government. So based on what financial investment did they base their calculation?

Last not least, neither Air Force nor the Airport Authorities of Thailand are in golf clubs, membership et al. One is to defend the Kingdom from the air, the other one has to ensure that those zillions of travelers, tourists and cargo tons can get airlifted into and from Thailand.

If any of these goons in uniforms want to play golf, then why not do it like ALL the others in this country; subscribe to a golf course, pay green fees and caddies (without the 19th hole) and stop grabbing and stealing left, right and centre - what a farçe! 

[digbeth]

17 hours ago, natway09 said:

Correct me if I am wrong but is not all land being used by Government Departments "Crown Land" ??

If that is so then with Government of the day, Crown Land Department  & Monarch's consent the land can be repurposed  for the betterment of people without compensation to any said Government Department.

 

The way the air force sees it, AOT, the airport authority is a private enterprise that is depriving them of their perceived income from use of their 'land' 

 

the fact that the land goes back to the government which them reassigned to whomever they see fit has no bearing on this