Cabinet approves budget of Bt2.3 billion for Suvarnabhumi Airport

The Cabinet has approved a budget of 2.3 billion baht for the Airports of Thailand (AOT) to renovate and improve its facilities at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Government Deputy Spokesman Dr.Chotechai Suwannaporn (โชติชัย สุวรรณาภรณ์) reports that 1.8 billion from 2.3 billion baht will be used for projects of the airport while the rests will be reserved as emergency budget.

The spokesman says AoT needs money to boost efficiency of the Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Cabinet earlier approved budget of around 130 billion baht for the airport.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 January 2008

I am dumbfounded! An international airport, many years in the planning, opened only 16 months ago (I was one of the first passengers to use it) - now needs MORE money ...

Did I read this right -

The Cabinet earlier approved budget of around 130 billion baht for the airport.

Now it is getting another cash injection of 2,3 billion baht! What's happening to the monies from landing fees that the airlines pay every time a plane lands or takes off at Suvarnabhumi, the 750 baht I pay every time I leave Thailand, the money King Power pays ... the list goes on.

In a word - WHY ?????

Peter

if this wasn't Thailand, I'd say unbelievable

VP

what a sad state of affairs ....

if this wasn't Thailand, I'd say unbelievable

VP

what a sad state of affairs ....

Yes indeed, but of course this IS Thailand, and by the way what happened to the 250 million baht which early last year was allocated for the construction of 200 or so extra toilets at Suvarnabhumi?

Government Deputy Spokesman Dr.Chotechai Suwannaporn (โชติชัย สุวรรณาภรณ์) reports that 1.8 billion from 2.3 billion baht will be used for projects of the airport while the rests will be reserved as emergency budget.

shouldn't this sentence end with ".....will be reserved as emergency budget to line the pockets of AOT officials"???