King Power deputy chairman Chulchit Boonyaketu told shop operators at a conference yesterday that Airports of Thailand (AOT) had yet to notify the company about the AOT board resolution to terminate the two contracts for the duty-free and commercial area management.

Striking an optimistic note, Chulchit said he would today embark on a trip to Switzerland, Dubai and Singapore to woo foreign brand-name product manufacturers.

"This meeting is an assurance for all shops in the commercial area," Chulchit said yesterday as he adamantly maintained that the company had followed all laws in striking the two annulled contracts with AOT.

However, Bannavit Kengrien, chairman of the National Legislative Assembly's committee on Suvarnabhumi Airport scandals, yesterday asked the AEC to probe AOT's contracts with King Power.

He said King Power had acted mischievously and violated the Public-Private Joint Venture Act and the government procurement law.

"The AEC should urgently look into the issue," he said, adding that he had put together 11 sets of documents and CDs for all AEC members.

Pathomphong Kasornsuk, chairman of the NLA subcommittee on King Power's contracts with AOT, said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra could have been involved in the violations.

AEC member Jaruwan Maintaka said the petition would be discussed by the AEC next Monday, when a subcommittee could be formed to investigate the issue.

The AOT board last Thursday annulled the two contracts, based on the Council of State's opinion that King Power had deliberately reduced the two contracts' value below Bt1 billion to avoid coming under the Public-Private Joint Venture Act.

Coming under the Act would have called for more extensive scrutiny. The resolution brought worries to all companies operating in the duty-free area and the commercial area that their contracts with King Power would also be annulled automatically.

Chulchit yesterday explained details of the contracts with AOT to the 60 shop operators. He also said that King Power had signed about 400 contracts with AOT during the past three years, all of which have come into effect since 2005.

Chulchit warned that the proposed annulment by AOT would have serious repercussions not only for King Power's stakeholders, employees and shops, but the image of the nation as a whole.

A duty-free retailer, Supawadee Sukaya, managing director of the Airport Terrace, a confectionery shop, said she had thoroughly studied the contract and found nothing illegal before investing Bt10 million into the project.

Having adhered to the contract - by paying her rent on time, for instance - Supawadee demanded a clear solution from AOT. There are too many retailers and jobs at stake, she said.

Restaurant manager Pat Paisarn said that Lee's Cafe currently employed 50 staff and had spent Bt10 million to date. Having signed a five-year contract with AOT, the restaurant is now taking legal advice in preparation for future talks with King Power.

Pat said that so far the news had not really impacted the restaurant's sales. However, the relocation of 140 domestic flights to Don Muang, or some 20,000 passengers per day, has cut its revenues by 5 to 6 per cent.

Apichart Sangaree, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that each shop paid a monthly rent of about Bt100,000 or Bt60,000 per square metre. King Power and AOT earn 20 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, from service fees collected from tourists.