Expert warns against new airport town

Area `lacks efficient drainage channels'

BANGKOK: -- A town planning expert has cautioned against the development of the proposed new township at Suvarnabhumi airport, saying the area lacks adequate floodwater drainage.

Nopanant Tapananot, a lecturer on architecture and town planning at Chulalongkorn University, was speaking at a seminar on town development organised by the National Housing Authority.

He said the existing flood drainage system was sufficient for the airport but probably not for the planned new town, which will span more than 820 sq km covering four districts in Bangkok, five districts in Samut Prakan and part of Chachoengsao.

The area will be declared a special administrative zone and run by a public company.

Mr Nopanant said it needed a major diversion channel _ a man-made canal that would run from the Chao Phraya river, past the airport area and flow into the Gulf of Thailand in Samut Prakan.

He cited a study by a consultancy firm hired by the Sarit Thanarat administration in 1960, which suggested that the new airport, located on swampy low-lying rice fields, required a water diversion channel.

However, this idea did not materialise.

Mr Nopanant said he doubted that the area was suitable for human settlement.

``There will be noise pollution as 76 planes will be landing and taking off each hour. The air will be filled with fuel-tainted smog and there will be flood problems.

``I don't know why the government still wants to develop the land around this area as a residential area,'' he said.

However, Veeraphan Shinawatra, an architect at SJA-3D, a consultancy firm working on the land zoning and development scheme around the airport, said the flood draining system in the area was quite sufficient.

He said the Irrigation Department has approved a water management project which will provide a channel from the Chao Phraya river to speed up flow.

It is expected to be completed next year.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-26

BANGKOK: -- A town planning expert has cautioned against the development of the proposed new township at Suvarnabhumi airport, saying the area lacks adequate floodwater drainage.

Another malcontent who is simply out to stir up trouble. I wonder when the government will sue him for spreading such vicious lies (e.g. the Bangkok Post and the cracked runway story)?

However, Veeraphan Shinawatra, an architect at SJA-3D, a consultancy firm working on the land zoning and development scheme around the airport, said the flood draining system in the area was quite sufficient.

No relation to the Big family of course?