A protest against the noise generated by Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport was held on the 9^th September 2007 – attracting thousands of local residents. Their rally was described as the “last peaceful move” to urge Thailand’s controlling airport authorities to respond to their demands. Operating group Airports of Thailand has been given a nine day timeframe to provide said answers, or face a repeat of Sunday’s events. This was confirmed by one of the prominent figures within the hordes of residents gathered there – community leader Wanchat Manathamsobat, who stated: ''If the residents do not get a satisfactory answer by the given deadline, I cannot say what will happen. People are extremely frustrated, and we will be unable to stop them.”

The basis of the campaigners’ ire is what they described as slow progress made by AoT – both in issuing previously-promised payments of compensation, and implementing measures to minimise the noise created at the hub.

At the airport, some degree of violence did occur, as security staff halted the progress of some protestors. However, after a few minutes of scuffling, the security force pulled back, allowing the campaigners to advance to Suvarnabhumi’s departure terminal. Inside the airport’s buildings, however, measures were taken to stop their further spread into the terminals; consequently – their entrances were sealed off by security guards.

A large number of the protestors at Suvarnabhumi Airport hailed from a housing estate located approximately five kilometres away. They carried balloons, which, in earlier reports, were to have been used as a threat – their release planned to affect the flow of air traffic to/from Suvarnabhumi. However, the intervention of officials from the Thai government, who engaged in reconciliatory discussions with those present, prevented this part of the action from taking place. A promise made by the director of the airport – Sereerat Prasutanont – was that certain individuals within the protest force would be permitted to attend a meeting concerning Suvarnabhumi, alongside AoT and the Transport Ministry. According to Mr Wanchat, it was decided that five representatives would attend this summit, which is being held on the 10^th September.

A crucial strand of the protestors’ complaint is the amendment made to a resolution originally announced in November 2006, in respect of the number of residents eligible to receive noise compensation, as well as the amount to be provided. This was changed four months ago, and involved a re-evaluation, on the part of airport authorities, of how many residencies ought to get recompensed. Based on a threshold of 70 decibels, the new ruling placed 773 houses over this limit. Previously, the number had been 1,800.

Within the 60-70 decibel bracket, a previous figure of 25,000 houses located around Suvarnabhumi’s approaches was cut back in May 2007 to 18,253.

Where the noise level exceeds 75 decibels, AoT will acquire the properties affected. Below this, the residents have been promised the funding require to install soundproofing measures. In its initial wave of said compensation, 71 houses were guaranteed immediate payment, but, according to Suradej Benjathikul – another key figure within the airport protest – the majority of these have received nothing to date.

He explained: ''Only a small number of homeowners have received 50,000 baht in compensation, while others have received no assistance from the state”.

''People who don't know the truth might condemn us for demanding too much. But we don't ask for too much”, he added. “We just want to move out with enough money so we won't get into financial strife.”

Airport International will monitor the events of today’s meeting closely, providing the very best coverage as we get the facts.

Source – Airport International’s Far East Correspondent

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