Shops set to battle Phuket Airport bosses

[webfact]

Shops set to battle Phuket Airport bosses
Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan


Thumawat “Ood” Wongcharoenyot.

PHUKET: -- Representatives of three shops at Phuket International Airport are to meet with senior figures from Airports of Thailand (AoT) tomorrow for talks to solve an impasse after AoT gave them seven days to close down and get out.

The “get out” order came in April, and the owners of the shops promptly applied to the Provincial Court for protection, which was granted.

The owners of the three shops – a gift shop, a gem shop and a cashew nut shop – say they were among the very first to open at the airport, decades ago. However, when the AoT wanted to set up a VAT refund centre for tourists, they were asked to move to another location within the airport. They complied.

The AoT then allowed six more shops to open in the same area. In April, however, all nine were told to close and move out because the area had become “too crowded”.

Today five representatives of the shops’ came to the Damrongdharm Centre to lodge a complaint. However, they were told by Vice-Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak, because the matter is already in the court, the centre can take no action.

The five, who included Thumawat “Ood” Wongcharoenyot and Saen “Boem” Charoenchit – already under pressure after having been named as “influential” by the Director of the Department of Special Investigation, Tharit Pengdith (whom they are suing for defamation) – said that they just wanted to ensure that the provincial authorities are aware of the problem.

V/Gov Somkiet has already been detailed by Governor Maitree Intusut to attend tomorrow’s meeting.

The shop-owners said they had gone to the court for no reason other than to be allowed to continue doing business as they had for decades.

Later, Mr Thumawat said that he and the others had a meeting on August 22 with senior officials from the Ministry of Transport. After the meeting, retired Army Col Winai Sompong – former Minister of Transport and known as “The Ruler” for his reputation for honesty – agreed to attend tomorrow’s meeting with AoT representatives as referee.

“We are willing to withdraw our court case if we are allowed to go on conducting our businesses at the airport,” Mr Thumawat added.

The real reason for AoT trying to get rid of the shops is not clear.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/shops-set-to-battle-phuket-airport-bosses-41710.php


-- Phuket News 2013-09-03

[lee b]

This seems fair enough, why should the shops have to relocate after being in the same place for decades?

[Chicog]

Because someone wants to purloin them, or rent them out to someone else for a lot more money?

[scorecard]

Because someone wants to purloin them, or rent them out to someone else for a lot more money?

Or simply, my sister wants that spot.

[dudu]

Yep, i think its the sister, definitely in the family...

[NamKangMan]

Nice gold ring. Typifies Phuket.

[KarenBravo]

Nice gold ring. Typifies Phuket.

Nope....it's the wearer of the "sting-ray ring" that typifies Phuket.

[NamKangMan]

Nice gold ring. Typifies Phuket.

Nope....it's the wearer of the "sting-ray ring" that typifies Phuket.

Don't you mean "scorpion ring?"

[KarenBravo]

Nice gold ring. Typifies Phuket.

Nope....it's the wearer of the "sting-ray ring" that typifies Phuket.

Don't you mean "scorpion ring?"

No....I mean stingray.

[Carl64]

The joys of dealing with landlords in shopping centres or airports anywhere in the world!

[bangon04]

"OOD" as in camel?

Inscrutable.... don't play mahjong with this guy

[webfact]

Business operators win fight to keep shops at Phuket International Airport
Phuket Gazette


Thammarawat Wongcharoenyut said he and other business operators at Phuket Airport were delighted by the outcome. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Business operators of concessions at Phuket International Airport have prevailed in their battle to keep their concessions at the airport.

Not only will they be allowed to remain at the airport, but they will be allowed to continue their business in the new airport terminal once it is completed in 2015, said Thammarawat Wongcharoenyut, one of the operators.

The stunning victory followed a meeting yesterday at the Phuket office of Airports of Thailand (AoT), which operates Phuket Airport.

The meeting was closed to the media, but in attendance were Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak, Col Winai Sompong from the Ministry of Transport, Phuket AoT officers, and the airport business operators.

Speaking to the Phuket Gazette after the meeting, Vice Governor Somkiet explained, “AoT offered the concept of ‘meeting halfway’ with the business operators, but agreed to do this only if the operators withdrew the complaints they had filed with Phuket Provincial Court (story here).

“The operators readily agreed to withdraw their complaint, in the interests of moving forward,” V/Gov Somkiet said.

Mr Thammawat, who has also filed a defamation suit against the Department of Special Investigation for publicly noting that he is under investigation as a Phuket taxi mafia figure (story here), later told the Gazette that AoT had agreed to extend the concessions’ contracts and offered them space in the new airport building.

Mr Thammawat said both he and his fellow operators at the airport’s concession outlets are “delighted at this outcome”.

“After the meeting, we withdrew the complaints that we had filed to various organizations and the court, as we had found common ground with the AoT," he explained.

“Now AoT is allowing us to remain. My friends and I are very happy that AoT understands and supports us,” he added cheerfully.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Business-operators-win-fight-to-keep-shops-at-Phuket-International-Airport-22189.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-06

[LivinginKata]

Amazing - good luck to those shop keepers.