According to an AOT source, officials are unwilling to sign off on payments for contractors until construction work at Suvarnabhumi Airport has been inspected.

He revealed there were many completed contracts within the passenger terminal pending scrutiny by consultants employed by the AOT to monitor construction standards. The AOT covers the cost of inspection.

Among the companies waiting for payment is Italian-Thai Development.

The source explained that foreign consultants had been hired to monitor all construction at Suvarnabhumi and ensure it met international standards.

Once contracts have passed quality control, then the AOT signs off on approvals and pays construction companies.

The ousted Thaksin-Shinawatra government's haste to open Suvarnabhumi on September 28 last year forced contractors to rush some jobs. As a result, monitoring, quality-control checks, official endorsements and payments got left behind, said the source.

This has resulted in outstanding payments of about Bt14 billion.

"Suvarnabhumi Airport has recently become a political issue and many are looking closely at what's going on. AOT executives authorised to sign official endorsements are being very careful," the source added.

"If the consultants cannot guarantee work meets standards, no executives will dare sign [endorsements] because they are afraid of taking responsibility if jobs are found later to be defective."

He said quality-control checks by consultants might take some time yet. The consultants are not prepared to fast-track checks because their reputations are on the line, he added.

The hasty opening of Suvarnabhumi has seen it fail to meet International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements, too.

The body demands new airports operate on a trial basis for six months before receiving certification. Because Suvarnabhumi failed to do this, it has not been granted an Aerodrome Certificate.

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation