Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen will tomorrow meet airline officials to discuss the plan to reopen Don Muang airport for use as an international and domestic airport.

"We're not going to close Suvarnabhumi as repairs to the runway can be carried out while the airport is in service," he said at Government House after a meeting with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont ahead of the Cabinet meeting. "Suvarnabhumi will not be closed. We have invested a huge amount in the airport and we need to maximise its benefits," he reiterated.

Airlines can make their own choice as to whether to move operations to Don Muang, he said. "As far as I know, not many airlines are going to move back as they have already poured in substantial investment at the new airport," Theera said.

Theera received the study findings of the committee chaired by Tortrakul Yomnak, which will be discussed with the Airports of Thailand (AOT), before being forwarded to the Cabinet. The findings reveal that the problems on Suvarnabhumi's taxiways and runways will take less than six months to repair and won't necessitate the airport's closure.

Members of the Board of Airline Representatives in Thailand and the Airline Operators Committee will attend tomorrow's meeting. The two associations have over 60 airlines as members. Both have voiced disagreements over the reopening of Don Muang as an international airport.

After the meeting, the Transport Ministry will propose a detailed plan to the Cabinet next week for final approval to reopen Don Muang, Theera said. The minister had said aviation fees, including landing and take-off fees, will be the same at both airports, although rentals for airline offices at Don Muang may be slightly cheaper.

Thai Airways International president Apinan Sumaseni said THAI was inclined to maintain its international operations base at Suvarnabhumi due to its huge investment of over Bt16 billion at the new airport. Moreover, the airline's operating costs would be higher if it used two airports.

Apinan said the Cabinet had previously approved the use of both airports as international airports. However, following the plan to reopen Don Muang proposed by Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) earlier, the government said it would only allow non-transit domestic flights at Don Muang.

"If the government's policy is to use the two airports, the return of THAI to the old airport would be inconvenient," said Apinan, adding the carrier is now considering its domestic flight plan.

When asked whether the budget airline Nok Air, a sister airline of THAI, will move to the old airport, Apinan said Nok Air should be able to decide for itself.

Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said there was a high possibility the airline would move all its operations to the old airport.

However, it was waiting for a clearer policy from the government.

Meanwhile, nine members of THAI's labour union yesterday submitted a petition to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, protesting the reopening of Don Muang as an international airport.

Union chief Somsak Srinual said two international airports would cause management problems and could dash Thailand's hope to be an aviation hub as personnel would have to be divided up.

"Moreover, Don Muang's reopening would enable Thai AirAsia to take over the airport as its business hub, without having to invest in the infrastructure," he said.

Thanawat Polvichai, director of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce's Economic and Busi-ness Forecasting Centre, said the government should be decisive on the future of Don Muang as uncertainties could rock investor confidence .