The re-opening of Don Muang Airport comes as no surprise. On the contrary, it was well-known among "the inner circle" during the Thaksin era that there was a plan for Bangkok to have two airports, as soon as the rail link connecting Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi was completed.

According to a source at the Transport Ministry, the Thaksin government told the world Thailand was only going to have one airport - Suvarnabhumi - to avoid creating confusion, while waiting for the subway route.

Moving all domestic and international flights to Suvarnabhumi also cleared away the gangsters who had benefited greatly from services at Don Muang.

With the decision to reopen Don Muang, the military is following ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's plan to operate two airports at the same time, although some details are very different.

The lack of a transport link between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang could cause serious traffic woes for passengers who board a domestic flight from the provinces to Don Muang and have to catch an international flight at Suvarnabhumi.

Importantly, it settles any hidden argument between the Royal Thai Air Force and the Royal Thai Army over interests generated by the two airports.

Built on land belonging to the Royal Thai Air Force, Don Muang generated huge benefits for the air force. One reflection of its control of the old airport was the fact that Air Chief Marshals were always made chairmen of the Airports of Thailand (AOT), operator of the airport. That continued for decades until Srisook Chandrangsu, the former Transport permanent secretary, took over the top job in the Thaksin era to reduce the air force's influence.

The re-opening of Don Muang follows the appointment of Royal Thai Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Chalit Pukbhasuk as chairman of the committee to re-evaluate Don Muang's capacity - right after the military staged the September 19 coup.

Back then, it was expected that Chalit would be appointed chairman of the AOT, so that the issue could be solved in favour of the Air Force. But the Royal Thai Air Force was very upset when Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr, assistant secretary of the Council of National Security (CNS) who represented the Army, took the chairmanship.

Through the appointment of Saprang, it was interpreted that the Army had taken control of Suvarnabhumi.

"There were some negotiations at the CNS meeting to reopen Don Muang. And facilitating the CNS decision is the endless bad news coming out of Suvarnabhumi, starting from cracks on taxiways and the runway. That paves the way for the reopening," one insider said.

Having two airports allows the Army and Air Force to exercise their powers separately.

Reopening Don Muang means the AOT will need to open bids for all ground services and facilities. A new taxi company will be required, while Thai Airport Ground Services (TAGS) - which had operated services at Don Muang for decades - could make a return, if it can come up with a preferable proposal.

TAGS certainly has the advantage over others to provide ground services, with all the equipment that was left idle

after it failed to snatch the management deal at Suvarnabhumi.

Also returning could be companies that used to provide taxi services and companies that formerly made use of

the commercial areas at Don Muang.

Four months after it closed, Don Muang will soon come back to life - with over 10 million passengers per annum, if all domestic flights are moved from Suvarnabhumi.

Also coming to life again would be the old powers that caused chaos and headaches to travellers when Don Muang was operational.

After announcing the reopening, Transport Minister Admiral Theera Haocharoen said it was necessary to ensure that all bidding must be transparent.

However, it will need more than words to keep things transparent. 

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation