Brainstorming for Thailand's airport development

BANGKOK, February 12 (TNA) - Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd. (AOT) and Bangkok-based Kasetsart University on Tuesday held a brainstorming session to listen to opinions of the general public and stake holders who might be affected by an official plan on the phase 2 development of the country's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The session was held for the first time out of the total three and planned to be complete in October 2013, under a programme called the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in which a study is required before the phase 2 development of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport is carried out. The SEA is implemented, following the Thai Cabinet's approval of the extended development of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport after it has been opened for commercial use since September 2006 with an investment of over 62.5 billion baht. Concerned authorities consider that the Suvarnabhumi International Airport needs to be further developed due to its steady rising number of international passengers. Presently, the airport serves about 45 million passengers annually. AOT has prepared a pilot plan for the development of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and it plans to submit the outcome of the study to the National Environment Committee for further consideration after all the three planned brainstorming sessions are complete. (TNA)