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Published on September 20, 2007

Now it is known that Saprang is not going to be named Army chief on that day, despite earlier expectations. He was living in some uncertainty following reports that several other candidates were lined up.

Moreover, despite Saprang's claim that he played a major role behind the coup last year, Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin said yesterday that neither Saprang nor another Army-chief candidate, Anupong Paochinda, was involved in the plot. The coup was mapped out solely by Sonthi and a colonel, the Army chief said.

It will be heartbreaking for Saprang not to be promoted, given his devotion to the

Army.

As chairman of TOT, he has not forgotten he is a professional soldier.

He managed to allow the Army intelligence unit to request a Bt900-million budget for the procurement of military devices. And it seems the Army will get what it wants, given that the request is bundled in the TOT broadband project, which will expand investment without a public bidding.

Then another headache could show up on that very same day, when Saprang chairs a meeting of Airports of Thailand's board.

It seems this could be the first AOT meeting with no president - or even an acting president.

An insider at AOT told us Kulya Pakakrong was very insistent in her determination to leave as acting president at the end of September.

"The board asked me to stay until the end of this month, and I will. Then, I'll be gone," the source quoted her as saying.

While the process to appoint the new president has been delayed, AOT has so many problems at hand to solve. Its flagship Suvarnabhumi Airport now faces serious protests about noise pollution from nearby residents.

As if this were not enough, Phuket International Airport, another AOT property, has yet to restore travellers' confidence following Sunday's tragic crash.

For the pride of AOT and the nation, Suvarnabhumi is on a quest to become among the world's top 10 airports in 2009. This would certainly draw more travellers and income, but it cannot be achieved without cooperation from other agencies.

It will interesting to hear what Saprang says at the October 1 meeting, and who he will appoint to help at AOT.

achara_d@nationgroup.com