[landofsmiles]

What's next? First Isaan BG into space?

Airport-area residents threaten flight disruptions next Saturday

BANGKOK: -- Charging the state-run Airports of Thailand Pcl (AoT) with reneging on its widely publicised promise to compensate noise pollution-impacted residents living in the vicinity and near the flight paths of Suvarnabhumi international airport the residents Saturday said they would release home-made rockets and balloons to disrupt flights one week from today on the coming Saturday.

Led by Somchart Manathamsombat some 100 residents living near the airport gathered for a press conference urging the new government under Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to order the AoT to honour the promise it gave to affected residents November 9.

They charged that the AoT on that day signed a formal agreement to buy homes from owners who had been suffering aircraft noise of above 70 decibels.

Until now, no parties have received the compensation, they said.

Frustrated by the delay, the angry residents said they would release home-made rockets, known as "bung fai" in the Isaan northeastern dialect, as well as balloons, into the sky to disrupt flights arriving and taking off at the airport.

While acknowledging that the country's image would be negatively affected if their threatened action is actually taken, the residents said they had no choice but to proceed with the plan because the AoT was not sincere about solving their problem.

--TNA 2008-02-16