Airport city plan 'odd, unnecessary'

BANGKOK: -- Participants at a House of Representatives committee hearing voiced opposition yesterday to the government's Suvarnabhumi city project, insisting the current town planners were capable of managing the new international airport.

Ekkapoj Panyaem, a deputy spokesman for the House

panel on interior administration, said both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and local administrative bodies in Samut Prakan were capable of overseeing residential areas around the airport, as well as coping with future flood and water management.

The meeting decided to issue a seven-point proposal to the government, including a call for a public hearing before the government engages in any further efforts to build the ambitious Suvarnabhumi metropolitan project.

The major proposals include the setting up of a special commission to handle administration of the residential area. It would be made up of relevant government agencies, such as the BMA, local administrative bodies in Samut Prakan, and the Department of Public Works and Town Planning.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte said existing water and flood management could be further improved within the BMA's approved budget.

"The building of the Suvarnabhumi metropolitan area is not necessary," he concluded.

Pramuan Ruchanaseree, a panel member, said the draft design failed to provide a clear rationale for the building of a metropolitan area.

He said it was an "odd idea" to build a large city for flood management reasons.

"Most importantly, the government has never consulted local governments or sought their ideas on the metropolitan project before making the decision," Pramuan said.

Songchai Nokkhamin, chairman of the Racha Thewa Tambon Administrative Organisation in Samut Prakan, said everyone he knew remained unclear how the plans, if implemented, would affect their way of life.

"Everything would have to be moved, even temples, not to mention the expropriation of vast spaces of land," he said.

--The nation 2005-11-11

Nice to see that the planning is well in hand