Residents affected by noise pollution gather at Suvarnabhumi Airport

SAMUT PRAKAN: -- Some 200 residents living near Suvarnabhumi Airport gathered at Thailand’s largest air passenger terminal, calling for fair compensation for noise pollution caused by air traffic.

The residents congregated on the third floor of the departure passenger areas, bearing banners demanding justice from the prime minister or anyone with authority to approve paying compensation. About 100 anti-riot police were deployed to provide security and maintain order.

Nutthachai Chokechaiwattanakorn, secretary to the transport minister, negotiated with the irate local residents but failed to convince them to disperse. They threatened to launch numbers of hot-air lanterns, to disrupt air traffic.

Meanwhile, the airport will conduct a ritual to move all 12 of its giant guardian statues from the second floor of the concourse buildings to check-in areas outside. The giants are reproductions of the giants at the Emerald Buddha temple in the capital, symbolising the Thai kingdom’s guardians.

Nirandra Theeranartsin, Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager said the current location where those giants are placed is not spacious. However, the relocation is also partly related to a superstitious belief by some workers that the giants might bring bad luck and turmoil to the airport.

-- TNA 2009-11-08

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I was down to Swampy this morning, about 1100 hrs to 1230, meeting a friend coming in on EVA. Heard the occasional noise from upstairs, not too loud. Went up and saw the very peaceful demonstration there about in front of the Domestic check-in counters. Not a problem for anyone, really, except perhaps the AOT folks.

However, I do wonder just how many of these people lived in the areas affected by the air traffic at Swampy prior to the studies done for the new airport in 1964. An American friend of mine worked on that original project.

Mac

What makes some people unhappy makes others happy.

My family has lived within 1 Km. of Don Muang airport for at least 10 years. Since Swampy was built it has been quiet. I used to call them (I work overseas) and often could not hear what my wife was saying on the phone due to a plane flying overhead.

Now it's nice and quiet. Last year when I stayed there I could even hear the early morning chanting and the drums/gongs in the Thai Wat that is about half a kilometer away.

It was nice.

Sorry, swampy, but now it's your turn.