AOT working group to oversee aviation safety issues

[webfact]

AOT working group to oversee aviation safety issues
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

AIRPORTS of Thailand has established a working group tasked with tackling aviation-safety issues.

BANGKOK: -- Board members of AOT, the operator of six international airports in Thailand, yesterday approved formation of the working group.

The move came after the International Civil Aviation Organisation declared that under the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme, Thailand warranted "significant safety concerns".

Prajak Sajjasophon, AOT independent director, said there were no serious concerns at the airports, but the company was working on plans to improve safety anyway.

In a separate development, AOT board chairman Prasong Poontaneat said the company had reduced the budget for the second-phase expansion project at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The company earlier reserved a Bt62-billion budget for facility expansion and the hiring of a consultancy but was asked to reduce it by Bt3 billion through changes in materials and forming a team to take on the consultancy work.

According to the expansion plan, once the new passenger terminal is completed, capacity will be increased from 15 million to 20 million, while new facilities will also enhance the airport's overall efficiency.

The company is now completing the renovation of Phuket International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. The work at Don Mueang should increase passenger capacity from the current 18 million to 30 million.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/AOT-working-group-to-oversee-aviation-safety-issue-30259043.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-30

[Strangebrew]

And if after completed they will lie and say it is packed need bigger airport.

[Ricardo]

"and forming a team to take on the consultancy work"

Good, an organisation like AOT ought to have this sort of expertise in-house, and not rely totally on external-consultants !

"According to the expansion plan, once the new passenger terminal is completed, capacity will be increased from 15 million to 20 million, while new facilities will also enhance the airport's overall efficiency"

But isn't the current capacity of Swampy supposed to be 45 million already ? !

'There are lies, damn lies, and government-statistics' is one popular saying, where Thailand does seem to achieve international-standards !

Or perhaps they had moved-on to talk about Phuket, but failed to make that clear, and the journalist forgot to ask ?

Edited April 30, 2015 by Ricardo

[Chris Ubon]

Something is wrong because the article suggests that the capacity of Don Mueang is already higher than Suvarnabhumi and will be proportionately even higher once both projects have been completed. ?

[Srikcir]

"and forming a team to take on the consultancy work"

Good, an organisation like AOT ought to have this sort of expertise in-house, and not rely totally on external-consultants !

"According to the expansion plan, once the new passenger terminal is completed, capacity will be increased from 15 million to 20 million, while new facilities will also enhance the airport's overall efficiency"

! alt=facepalm.gif>

'There are lies, damn lies, and government-statistics' is one popular saying, where Thailand does seem to achieve international-standards ! alt=laugh.png>

Or perhaps they had moved-on to talk about Phuket, but failed to make that clear, and the journalist forgot to ask ?

"But isn't the current capacity of Swampy supposed to be 45 million already?"

NO.

AOT had plans in February 2014 to go ahead with the expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport so it can take 60 million more passengers when completed in 2017. As of July 2014 the Airport had already exceeded its maximum capacity, hosting more than 51 million passengers per year even though it was built to accommodate only 45 million visitors per year.

HOWEVER,

The Junta ordered AOT to shelve its expansion plans to extend its facilities. This may have been due to AOT’s lack of liquidity from 2014-2017 that would require it to issue bonds and debentures to boost its liquidity. Gen. Prayut did not believe in government creating debt during the Junta’s tenure.

The government also argued that the delay in expansion would not impact the airport immediately since Airports of Thailand director admitted that overall number of visitors to Thai airports had been on the decline, partly due to the political turmoil that had plagued Thailand for six months. Maybe now with tourism being the only factor that can contribute to Thailand's GDP growth rate that the Junta has decided to allow the expansion.

[SOTIRIOS]

...it was those incompetents who brought it to this crisis point to begin with....

...so give them more 'special funding'.......

....(...no word on stopping the perverse annual bonuses these people receive....for a job poorly done.....)

Edited April 30, 2015 by SOTIRIOS

[Bpuumike]

What does all this have to do with safety issues, the title of the OP?