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Pridiyathorn says he'll object to development
POST REPORTERS
Deputy Prime Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula announced yesterday he would oppose any plan to develop areas around Suvarnabhumi airport into an aerotropolis, signalling doom for one of the most controversial projects of the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra administration.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said that he recognised that the idea to designate the aerotropolis as a specially administered zone was a matter of government policy and of city planning.
''I don't know what the city planning agency will say. But if they propose [the issue for consideration], I will object. Airports everywhere are built away from residential communities,'' he said.
''Now that the airport is up and running, what purpose will crowding up communities around it serve? The noise from the aircraft is loud enough as it is. Therefore the areas around there should absolutely not be developed into an aerotropolis,'' he said.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said that areas adjacent to Suvarnabhumi airport form a vast water catchment basin and a network of outlets through which water from the city flows into the sea.
The airport construction had already caused some large concrete structures to obstruct the natural flow of water leading to floods, and the government should not compound this problem by building an airport city, he added.
Suvarnabhumi airport has been blamed for a frenzy of land speculation and the aerotropolis project, sitting on the Bangkok-Samut Prakan border, could further drive up prices.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said reports of the project being driven by real estate speculation were not baseless.
Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had raised objections to the project via the Interior Ministry during the Thaksin government's time in office.
The BMA was disturbed by the likelihood of floods from such development, in addition to noise pollution from aircraft.
He added the city already had plans to modernise those eastern Bangkok districts where the airport is located or is close to, such as Lat Krabang, Nong Chok, Prawet, Klong Sam Wa and Min Buri.
The BMA's plan would serve the airport and render the airport city proposal redundant, he added.
A BMA source said the project runs counter to the goal of making the country an aviation hub. Having a city located too close to the airport blocks aircraft vision and a large open area is required for facilities such as an aviation repair centre.
Pirawatr Kullavanijaya, director-general of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning said there had been a misunderstanding about the aerotropolis project.
The development would not extend to all areas around the airport but only the land to the west of it in Lat Krabang and Prawet districts, he said.
The project had been politicised by two parties with the governing party ''trying to puff up the project''.
The areas around the airport should be left the way they are, he said.
''The geographic and environmental conditions around the airport are not conducive to developing an aerotropolis. Our department has repeatedly stressed that the areas should be reserved for flood drainage. Any town development should focus on existing communities on the Bangkok side of the airport,'' he said.
Mr Pirawatr said that the airport city plan was supported by influential landlords out to make a profit from property sales.
Bannasopit Mekvichai, deputy Bangkok governor, foresaw little impact on local development if the Suvarnabhumi aerotropolis draft bill, a legacy of the previous government, was scrapped.
Lat Krabang district, where the airport is located, will probably benefit the most from the BMA's commercial development blueprint. but Ms Bannasopit insisted the BMA had no business formulating the town plan to boost real estate growth.
Ms Bannasopit, who conducted research for the National Economic and Social Development Board on development around the airport, said all the government needed to do was appoint a special board of administration to oversee those areas around Suvarnabhumi.
''This is not a tough nut to crack,'' she said. The government should offer existing local administrations chairmanship of the board and ensure local participation.
Songchai Nokkamin, chairman of tambon Racha Thewa administration organisation in Samut Prakan, said local people were opposed to the aerotropolis plan but their voices had not been heard under the previous governmentAirport city opposition mounting
Pridiyathorn says he'll object to development
POST REPORTERS
Deputy Prime Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula announced yesterday he would oppose any plan to develop areas around Suvarnabhumi airport into an aerotropolis, signalling doom for one of the most controversial projects of the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra administration.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said that he recognised that the idea to designate the aerotropolis as a specially administered zone was a matter of government policy and of city planning.
''I don't know what the city planning agency will say. But if they propose [the issue for consideration], I will object. Airports everywhere are built away from residential communities,'' he said.
''Now that the airport is up and running, what purpose will crowding up communities around it serve? The noise from the aircraft is loud enough as it is. Therefore the areas around there should absolutely not be developed into an aerotropolis,'' he said.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said that areas adjacent to Suvarnabhumi airport form a vast water catchment basin and a network of outlets through which water from the city flows into the sea.
The airport construction had already caused some large concrete structures to obstruct the natural flow of water leading to floods, and the government should not compound this problem by building an airport city, he added.
Suvarnabhumi airport has been blamed for a frenzy of land speculation and the aerotropolis project, sitting on the Bangkok-Samut Prakan border, could further drive up prices.
M.R. Pridiyathorn said reports of the project being driven by real estate speculation were not baseless.
Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had raised objections to the project via the Interior Ministry during the Thaksin government's time in office.
The BMA was disturbed by the likelihood of floods from such development, in addition to noise pollution from aircraft.
He added the city already had plans to modernise those eastern Bangkok districts where the airport is located or is close to, such as Lat Krabang, Nong Chok, Prawet, Klong Sam Wa and Min Buri.
The BMA's plan would serve the airport and render the airport city proposal redundant, he added.
A BMA source said the project runs counter to the goal of making the country an aviation hub. Having a city located too close to the airport blocks aircraft vision and a large open area is required for facilities such as an aviation repair centre.
Pirawatr Kullavanijaya, director-general of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning said there had been a misunderstanding about the aerotropolis project.
The development would not extend to all areas around the airport but only the land to the west of it in Lat Krabang and Prawet districts, he said.
The project had been politicised by two parties with the governing party ''trying to puff up the project''.
The areas around the airport should be left the way they are, he said.
''The geographic and environmental conditions around the airport are not conducive to developing an aerotropolis. Our department has repeatedly stressed that the areas should be reserved for flood drainage. Any town development should focus on existing communities on the Bangkok side of the airport,'' he said.
Mr Pirawatr said that the airport city plan was supported by influential landlords out to make a profit from property sales.
Bannasopit Mekvichai, deputy Bangkok governor, foresaw little impact on local development if the Suvarnabhumi aerotropolis draft bill, a legacy of the previous government, was scrapped.
Lat Krabang district, where the airport is located, will probably benefit the most from the BMA's commercial development blueprint. but Ms Bannasopit insisted the BMA had no business formulating the town plan to boost real estate growth.
Ms Bannasopit, who conducted research for the National Economic and Social Development Board on development around the airport, said all the government needed to do was appoint a special board of administration to oversee those areas around Suvarnabhumi.
''This is not a tough nut to crack,'' she said. The government should offer existing local administrations chairmanship of the board and ensure local participation.
Songchai Nokkamin, chairman of tambon Racha Thewa administration organisation in Samut Prakan, said local people were opposed to the aerotropolis plan but their voices had not been heard under the previous government