Noise-hit residents must wait for map
Chotisak Asapaviriya, president of Airports of Thailand Plc, greets representatives of communities affected by aircraft noise during their meeting at Suvarnabhumi yesterday to update them on AOT’s relief measures.
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Victims of Suvarnabhumi Airport's noise pollution will have to wait for a precise noise-contour map to be issued before authorities can work further on their cases.
About 60 representatives of noise-affected communities such as Chaiyapruk Village, Noble Park Village, Thana City and Tambon Bang Chalong yesterday met Chotisak Asapaviriya, president of Airports of Thailand, Somchai Swasdipol, general manager of the airport, and Yuppadee Limmathuroskul, director of the airport's environmental division, to follow up on AOT's plan to correct the problems. However, AOT still can't do anything because it's now waiting for the map from the Pollution Control Department, which has been submitted to Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen. Yuppadee outlined to the meeting the steps AOT would take. Upon release of the precise noise-contour map, it would let a company evaluate the noise effects. Finally, it would request funding. The budget has already been prepared for the victims but the airport has to propose it to the Transport Ministry for approval, Chotisak told the residents. "After the noise-contour map is officially announced, I will ask the government to support the budget for the noise-problem resolution," he said. A representative of Thana City expressed concern about how far acoustic measurement by the Pollution Control Department was coming along. "It's impossible that the noise-contour map is correct because so far the Pollution Control Department has not yet surveyed my community," he said. Somporn Phupuang, a representative of Chaiyapruk Village, said he wants AOT to announce the noise contour model and coordinate with the PCD to solve the problem formally. "We want AOT to make a flow chart of the noise problem-solving procedures and confirm the period of each [procedure] as well as set up meetings between villagers and the AOT board about twice a month so that we can follow up on the noise resolution's progress," he said. A representative from Krisda Nakhon Village said residents had to come out and fight since AOT had never paid attention to their problem at first. PCD has said it would take care of residents in a 10-kilometre area around the airport.
Wannapa Phetdee The Nation
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