Phuket Airport prepared to respond to natural disasters

PHUKET, THAILAND, May 8 (TNA) - Phuket International Airport in the southern Thai Andaman region is watching out for earthquakes and ensuring travellers' safety. As people in Phuket felt a series of 4.5-4.6 magnitude earthquakes on adjacent Yao Island in Phangnga Province on May 6- 7, Phuket Airport Director Monrudee Ketphan told journalists on Friday that her airport's staff have been on standby and monitoring the updated situation around the clock to ensure safety of international travellers using the seaside airport. For Ubon Ratchathani Airport in the Thai Northeast, where the launches of annual traditional Bang Fai rockets are upcoming, Nisit Sombat, the airport's director, has sent a letter to the provincial governor and parties concerned, seeking for their cooperation to ask local communities to report Bang Fai launches at least three days in advance so that his airport staff can warn pilots beforehand. Nisit said that rocket launches are prohibited within a 5-kilometer radius of the airport for public safety, acknowledging, however, that no Bang Fai rockets have been launched within the off-limit range this year. Ubon Ratchathani Governor Pratheep Keeratilekha stressed, meanwhile, that concerned parties need to seek approval for Bang Fai launches at least 15 days in advance, noting that he has also ordered such rocket launches to happen within this month only. Thai northeasterners traditionally launch their homemade Bang Fai rockets annually to ask for enough downpours from the heaven for their farmlands. (TNA)