PM wants Suvarnabhumi action

Suvarnabhumi is congested with flight delays common. Authorities have only limited ways to improve the situation and the PM wants them all in place ? soon.

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Passengers take a nap inside Suvarnabhumi airport while waiting for their flights. Lengthy delays have been reported after the closure of a 1.62km section of the eastern runway. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

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Amornrat Mahitthirook 

Authorities are trying to reschedule flights to relieve congestion at Suvarnabhumi airport as it enters the second phase of its expansion, which is expected to be completed in five years.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra discussed congestion problems at Suvarnabhumi with officials yesterday.

She said officials would try to decrease the number of day flights and increase night flights. At the moment, there are more flights in the daytime, when the airport is more vulnerable to congestion.

She ordered officials to speed up the 62-billion-baht second phase of the expansion of the airport's passenger terminal and the construction of a 13-billion-baht third runway to increase its capacity.

She also ordered greater use of Bangkok's second airport, Don Mueang, to help ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not appear to like what she heard from airport officials yesterday. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

Ms Yingluck has formed a working group to solve congestion at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports and wants it to propose solutions in two weeks.

Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) chairman ACM Sumet Phomanee heads the group and members include representatives of Thai Airways International, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co and the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board.

The prime minister said transport authorities should discuss the number of visitors entering Thailand with the Tourism Authority of Thailand so they could work out airport development plans effectively.

Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan, who attended the meeting, said the prime minister inquired about the progress of runway repairs being carried out at Suvarnabhumi.

The AoT reported a 1.62km section of the eastern runway is being repaired.

Half the repaired section is scheduled to be reopened tomorrow and the rest by the end of this month.

Mr Jarupong said the AoT must speed up paying compensation to people affected by noise from the two existing runways, or construction of the third runway project is likely to face opposition.

AoT must pay a total of 12 billion baht to residents suffering from the noise pollution.

About 60% of the recipients have received their payouts, with the remainder due by the end of next year.

Suvarnabhumi airport has the capacity to handle 76 flights an hour. However, it actually serves only 55 flights per hour because the number of flights it can operate is limited on the western runway, where heavy noise pollution annoys people in nearby residential communities.

The airport says 80% of flights use the eastern runway, to minimise impacts on residents.

nap – a short sleep, usually during the day การงีบ
delay – to make something happen at a later time than originally planned or expected เลื่อน
runway – a long narrow strip of ground with a hard surface that an aircraft takes off from and lands on ทางขึ้นลงของเครื่องบิน
tip – to say that something is likely to happen คาดการณ์
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
reschedule – to change the time at which something has been arranged to happen, especially so that it takes place later จัดตารางเวลาใหม่,  เปลี่ยนตารางใหม่
relieve – to help improve a bad situation ผ่อนคลาย, บรรเทา
congestion – a situation in which a place is crowded with people, vehicles, or in this case, airplane flights แน่นขนัด
phase – a particular period of time during the development of something ช่วง, ระยะ
expansion – when something increases in size, number or importance การขยายออก
decrease – to make or become less ลดลง, น้อยลง
increase – to become or make something greater in amount, number, value, etc  เพิ่ม
vulnerable – easily damaged or harmed ซึ่งถูกทำลายได้ง่าย
terminal – a large building at an airport where passengers arrive and leave อาคารผู้โดยสาร
construction – the work of building or making something, especially buildings, bridges, etc. การก่อสร้าง
capacity – the amount of something that can be produced or done  ความสามารถในการ (ระบาย, ผลิต etc.)
ease – to relieve; to make a problem, situation or pain less severe or serious บรรเทา
solve –  to successfully deal with a problem or difficult situation  แก้ปัญหา
propose – to suggest an idea for a group to consider เสนอ
transport – moving people or things from one place to another การขนส่ง
effectively – producing the result that was intended ได้ผลดี
inquire – to ask someone for information about something ถามถึง, สอบถาม
progress – the process of developing or of getting nearer to achieving or completing something ความคืบหน้า
repairs – fixing something that is broken or damaged การซ่อมบำรุง
scheduled – planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา
compensation – money that someone receives because something bad has happened to them  เงินชดเชย
existing – used now ที่มีอยู่
face – to (likely or possibly) have to deal with a problem เผชิญ, พบ, เจอ
opposition – strong disagreement with a plan or policy ความขัดแย้ง
total – what you get when you add up the numbers of something/somebody ยอดรวม
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
suffer – to experience something very unpleasant or painful ประสบ
recipient – someone who receives something ผู้ได้รับ
remainder – the part of something that is left after that rest have been considered, left, finished, etc. ส่วนที่เหลืออยู่
due – expected to happen or should happen มีกำหนด
operate – to carry out an activity ดำเนินการ
limited – stopped from increasing beyond a particular amount or level ถูกจำกัด
annoy – to make someone angry or upset ทำให้รำคาญใจ
community – the people living in one particular area ชุมชน
minimise – to reduce something harmful or unpleasant to the smallest amount or degree ลดให้เหลือน้อยที่สุด
impact – an effect or influence  ผลกระทบ