Corruption Rife Under Former Airport Directors

[sriracha john]

Corruption rife under former AOT directors

The previous executive board of Airports of Thailand (AOT) was likely to condone irregularities concerning construction bidding for the new airport it had approved, the chairman of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) probing panel said yesterday.

Admiral Bannawit Kengrien said his committee for solving problems concerning Suvarnabhumi Airport had evidence of fraud involving the installation of electricity and air-conditioning systems.

He said the panel would conclude its investigation soon before passing a report to the current AOT board. If the board approved the report, it would need to ask the National Counter Corruption Commission to take legal action against the wrongdoers, he added.

During Bannawit's visit to the airport yesterday, representatives of the AOT labour union handed him a letter asking the panel to probe biddings believed to involve graft.

Meanwhile, AOT will pay more than Bt468 million in compensation to householders affected by noise pollution from the new airport.

AOT advised the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday of a board decision to pay compensation.

Three property owners will share Bt43 million for three plots of land and eight buildings.

The remaining Bt389 million will be divided among other victims of noise pollution. There are 29 plots of land and 36 buildings involved.

Some sufferers have elected not to sell but have asked AOT to pay for building maintenance. Others are in negotiation over compensation.

AOT has proposed to the National Economic and Social Development Board that it provide Bt175 million to improve areas affected by noise.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration developed a system to predict annoyance to neighbourhoods by aircraft noise. It declared residential areas should have noise-exposure factors below 30. The areas affected by Suvarnabhumi have between 30 and 40. .what?? .speak up, I can't hear you...

- Tha Nation

[Fartknocker31]

Hahahaha... this whole Soowanapoom mess doesn't surprise me at all. It's just typical Thailand society attempting to develop in a non-Thai type of worldly/western influences (technology, etc.). One thing they REALLY could have and SHOULD have done properly in the first place was their Environmental Site Assessment prior to the building began. But, if a TRUE and ACCURATE Assessment were really done; this location wouldn't have a chance in hel_l of being the site for the new airport. Of course, there aren't a lot of places to put such a facility in the overpopulated Bangkok Metro area. Nevertheless, this doesn't give an excuse to add further problems that will persist for years to come. All the money in the world that AOT will pay to the neighborhood inhabitants won't fix the true problem of this airport situation. But it doesn't surprise me that this was the first mode of response by the authorities and those responsible (paying money); since in Thailand, money can buy your way out of almost anything. The same situation with a lot of pollution from industries and others. The Thai solution seems to currently focus on "Oh... let's just plant some trees and make more green space because the trees can absorb the pollution from cars and other sources." Or ... "Let's just focus more on agricultural things" .... This is like putting a 1 inch bandaid on a gaping laceration of a wound. "As long as it looks pretty or good on the surface, this should be good to fix the problem.. mai bpen rai." Hehehe. Treat the symptoms and asthetic qualities ... to hel_l with the actual disease itself, right? I don't know which is worse right now... American Medical Doctors treating patients or the Thai society's solution to environmental and sustainability issues... hahaha.

These are the types of things that a lot of developing areas are dealing with and will continue to deal with.. until they change a corrupt system that often hinders many efforts to develop as an entire nation.