Angry Residents Threaten To Fire Homemade Rockets To Disrupt Flights

[Neocon]

"They charged that the AoT on that day signed a formal agreement to buy homes from owners who had been suffering aircraft noise of above 70 decibels."

If the gov't at the time (even if it was an illegitimate one) signed compensation agreements, then the current administration should ensure AoT follows through with the compensation, provided the original criteria and decision to compensate local residents is reasonable and fair, and there's no known corruption/graft involved.

As for the local residents demanding compensation I would like to believe the gov't has fairly determined which residents have a legitimate grievance, in contrast to those that have engaged in real estate speculation and are subsequently pursuing cash enrichment. In my mind, speculators should not be compensated one red cent (baht).

As for those folks that suggest balloons and rockets are harmless to large aircraft, I genuinely hope you rethink that idea. Arrivals and departures are critical phases of flight. Rockets and balloons can easily jam flight controls and can cause engine failure if ingested. Moreover, balloons can cause reduced visibility, and it's even possible for a balloon to become snagged on one or both of the two windscreen wipers, thereby restricting pilot visibility or even reducing visibility to zero. Even noise from rockets can spook nesting or feeding birds, causing the birds to suddenly take flight, directly into the path of an arriving or departing aircraft.

Local resident threats on this subject are gravely serious, must be taken seriously, and must be dealt with accordingly by appropriate authorities.

[astral]

Yeah! Why didn't local residents protest when all the traffic was at Don Muang? The local housing was denser and closer there!

[magpie3]

This airport has been in the planning stages for more than fifty years before completion. Most, if not all these complaining residents would have been aware that an airport was to be situated on this land before they moved in.

Cash grab, pure and simple.

What an amazingly ignorant attitude. You sound as if people deliberately chose to move there just so they could claim compensation. Where is your evidence for that. Produce a single person that did that. The overwhelming number of people lived their before any compensation was promised.

So it had been planned for 50 years. It seems to me that after the first 40 it is quite a reasonable belief that it will never happen.

People often have little choice over where they choose to live. It may be the only place they can afford, or it is close to their work or family.

The real villains in the story are the incompetent or corrupt govt officials that approved building and development of residences in the area in the first place. For that reasons alone the govt deserves to payup.

You really want to tell me that people are not trying to cash in on the airport? Please support your argument.

Land around Suvarnabhumi remains hot, with prices surging beyond the average 4% increase in Greater Bangkok during 2005-06, according to the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

Land prices around the airport rose 6% during the period due to improving facilities and the government's planned transport links.

The agency anticipates land prices in Greater Bangkok would rise only 3.1% next year due to the unfavourable economic conditions this year.

The prices of land near Suvarnabhumi have risen by around 47% since 1998, compared to 29.7% for plots in Bangkok.

Sopon Pornchokchai, the agency's president, said land prices in Greater Bangkok rose 5.6% on average in 2003 and 2004 and 5.8% in 2004 and 2005. The pace, however, has slowed to 4% in 2005 and 2006 due to the overall economic climate.

Mr Sopon said the plots where prices had gained the most in the area, or 7%, were on King Kaew Road to the west of the new airport, where residential units are allowed. The most expensive plots, however, are at Bang Na Km 3 to Km 4, at 140,000 baht per square wah.

Link here.

Cash grab caused by greed - pure and simple. Hmmmmm -

Soundman.

Soundman.

You are not thinking clearly. Every fact you quote regarding house/land price rises may be correct but how is that linked to large numbers in 30 communities who have been in occupation for a generation or more or even just the last 20 or even 10 years. Do you think they all had the idea of moving here to speculate on land prices, or even had the money to purchase? As Ironbark indicated, after 30 years you would be forgiven for not keeping your life on hold, wondering whether you should build that modest house on the family plot - or not. For those unfortunate enough to have now done so and found themseves under the flightpath I can confirm it's no bleedin walk in the park and will continue to be unhealthy until air travel is silent & without toxic emissions. They should expect to move and be compensated for what they continue to put up with.

And if you're quoting a 29.7% surge around Swampy in the last 10 years, that is only 10 years, and only 2.97% higher per year than your other data quote. Hardly earth shattering. I've been here 20 years and have seen the town and airport grow. Believe me it wasn't deserted around here 20 years ago, and much of what I see 'on the ground' seems to have surged in the last 3- 5 years. The main road along the North of the airport was only finished (cleaned up and widened) about 3 years ago - although they seemed to be on for 4 years or more doing it.

I'd be interested to know how much of a 'surge' took place since the original announcement for an airport here and I would think there were a lot of old and disappointed small time speculators 30 years later! Big fish made the money by buying up all the parcels of land and selling it on to AOT & the Government or putting it into their land banks (now isn't that a slanderous remark!- and only hearsay of course). Any gain experienced by the minnows is much less unpalatable

I really can't think that you have produced anything more than figures regarding price rises, which misses the point of this thread. And I consider Ironbark to have the feel if not the statistical evidence in his argument that most were here before the event. Outsiders want in and many will not sell - hence the price goes up. Unless these people do sell they are still residents not speculators and I guess most will not sell hence the increased price rise. .

The angry people threatening action are not speculators, or directly involved in trying to push the price of land up. They just want the Government and AOT to show some moral fibre and meet their obligations (hardeeharhar! ..excuse my outburst).

Got to go and prepare for a party now. We've got these baloons and someone is bringing some traditional fireworks ...

Magpie3

[Sunderland]

While balloons might look nice as they float up and welcome tourists to amazing Thailand, it would be more constructive to launch fireworks than E-san style rockets as they look prettier. Also, aim for night time launching as this will be far more beautiful.

[Maizefarmer]

The very first time an accident occurs here - irrespective of cause - you know is going to be blamed for it ........ ?

[george]

Airport faces rocket-attack threat

BANGKOK: -- Book a window seat if you plan to use Suvarnabhumi Airport next Saturday, as you may get a chance to witness the most spectacular pyrotechnic show of mass fireballs and balloons shooting by outside.

Victims of the airport's development yesterday threatened to release balloons and home-made rockets the whole day in protest against the delay by the government and the airport's owner, Airports of Thailand, in paying them compensation for their misery.

"Yes, we are concerned about the possible chaos and ruining of the country's image, but we have no other choice," villager leader Somchart Manathamsombat told the press conference.

The villagers first threatened to float balloons up the flight path last September and were rewarded with some success. The government and AOT agreed to set up a tripartite committee to resolve outstanding issues.

But after a long wait, they decided to prod the new government into fulfilling past promises with a scarier weapon, local fireballs or bang fai.

"We smell insincerity from AOT in solving our problems. While we are suffering from severe noise pollution, there has been no significant progress from the committee's work but 10 meetings," Somchart said.

"What we need is nothing special: we're just asking AOT to follow the January 2 Cabinet resolution. What we get is AOT insisting that it will act only when its board of directors gives its approval," he said.

-- The Nation 2008-03-06

[sriracha john]

UPDATE... the Courts will decide...

Court to rule on airport woes

The Administrative Court will today decide on what the government should do for people living around Suvarnabhumi Airport who complain of noise pollution and other problems.

Local residents are expected to show up at the courtroom in large numbers.

"We have prepared two buses for people who wish to go to the court," Wanchat Manathamsombat said yesterday, "We believe the court will have empathy for us".

Wanchat has led locals in submitting a complaint with the Administrative Court.

In the complaint, the locals called for the cancellation of a Cabinet resolution passed by the Surayud Chulanont-led government in 2007, saying the resolution failed to provide adequate remedial action for people suffering ill-effects from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

"Many locals have developed health problems, including respiratory and heart diseases. Some have already passed away," Wanchat said.

He added that several houses had sustained damage from items falling from aeroplanes, "including electric torches, rubber sheets, and fuel cans."

Wanchat said, "Whenever such incidents took place, the Airports of Thailand repaired the damage. But what if the items hit people, not properties?"

He said the National Human Rights Commission had earlier concluded clearly that locals have indeed suffered from the airport which has been in service since 2006.

Asked about the National Environment Board's resolution that a fund be established to help people affected by the airport, Wanchat said "No one has contacted us to talk about this."

Wanchat said locals supported the idea to establish the fund.

"Our condition is that our representatives should be allowed a say in the fund management. Without our representatives, the fund might be spent on wrong purposes," he said.

-- The Nation 2009-06-24