• 
• 

Published on September 25, 2007

The September 16 crash of One-Two-Go flight OG029 was a terrible tragedy for the victims, their families and friends. This Thursday, the Transport Ministry will convene meetings to review safety standards for all of Thailand's airports in the wake of the crash. Last week Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um claimed that current standards already comply with international requirements, but said they would nevertheless be improved further. Conspicuous by its absence from the meetings will be representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The ICAO promotes understanding and security through cooperative aviation regulation. One would think that the internationally recognised entity that certifies airport safety worldwide would be an essential participant in any meetings related to safety that have the stated goal of raising public confidence in Thailand's airports.

My understanding is that the largest and newest of Thailand's airports, purported to become the crown jewel of aviation hubs in Asia, Suvarnabhumi, has no local or international safety certification from anyone to operate. The Civil Aviation Department issued a six-month aerodrome certificate for Suvarnabhumi Airport before it opened but the certificate has expired long ago. Reasons given for Suvarnabhumi Airport not being able to obtain certification of any kind were related to safety issues. Tens of millions of baht is needed to fix the substandard runways and millions more is needed to upgrade the substandard communications, safety and flight-tracking equipment in the new control tower.

The airport facility itself had some growing pains, such as the decision to build a shopping mall to run the passengers through when entering or leaving the terminal. It appeared that the mall concept went wild and degraded passenger safety by making it difficult to transit the terminal, allowing several flagship luxury stores to be constructed over many of the fire exits. It was reported that some of the female employees at the airport were sexually attacked on the night shift. I hope that safety issue has been resolved.

General Saprang Kalayanamitr, chairman of Airports of Thailand (AOT), and acting president Kulya Pakakrong both suggested installing cameras along every airport runway and outside every terminal. CCTV cameras are always the first remedy to any incident that may have a negative impact on governments throughout the world. Frankly, the public is becoming wise to this obvious scheme used to appease the public and negate pressure on those responsible for any security or safety catastrophe.

Maybe cameras are necessary but the bigger questions loom large over the Thai government and the AOT. Where were the fire-safety employees staged during the period of bad weather preceding the Phuket crash? Was their equipment adequate to deal with the incident? How long did it take for emergency crews at Phuket airport to arrive on the scene? What weather-forecasting equipment, which is required for international certification, was not working at the time of the crash?

I feel that it's in the public's interest for the ICAO to be invited to attend these very important airport-safety meetings this week. Additionally, the public should not be overlooked. The public is the end user of the airports and airlines so they will be interested in providing input on safety issues both in the air and on the ground. Each and every issue discussed should be published for all to see so we can make informed choices when picking an airline, airport or country for our flying needs.

David Barkdull

Bangkok

...........................................................

Politics should not corrupt nuclear debate

Re: "Nuclear power is not as clean as its proponents think", Letters, September 22.

My article on the nuclear option cited by Ken Albertsen ("Politics precludes a nuclear option", Opinion, September 21) may have given the impression that I am promoting nuclear energy, but in fact my concern is more that the option not be discarded for political or ideological reasons. I have no affiliation with the nuclear-power industry.

Studies from Japan and Britain of life-cycle emissions show that nuclear power has one of the smallest environmental "footprints" of any source of electricity. These include plant construction, mining and processing of the fuel, plant operation, disposal of used fuel and the decommissioning of the plant. If a carbon tax were imposed, the market itself would efficiently dispose of the emissions debate.

The best option for meeting increased demand is from energy efficiency. Renewable sources of energy could be the second-best option if we agree to accept the higher cost. If we need to go beyond this, then nuclear power must be one of the options up for discussion alongside gas, coal and hydropower. Independent research allowing for an informed debate is a prerequisite for a carefully considered decision. I expect a 10-year grace period to resolve the debate and to raise public awareness. That is why I applauded the Democrat Party for not following the lead of the current administration to rush headlong into it.

Suthep Kittikulsingh

Bangkok

...........................................................

Burmese citizens taking action where UN failed

The Burmese people have voted in the streets of Burma against the illegal rubber-stamped national convention that UN Envoy Ibrahim Gambari is trying to legitimise.

If Than Shwe shoots the peaceful demonstrators, it may activate anti-Chinese riots all over Burma. This is why it is in China's national interest not to veto the next binding UN Security Council resolution on Burma.

A negotiated political settlement is not possible with Than Shwe and I hope The Nation will not censor the reasons why we will not negotiate with Than Shwe. Than Shwe and the dying Prime Minister Soe Win planned the assassination of Aung San Suu Kyi during the May 30 Massacre during which elderly women were stripped naked of their skirts, humiliated and beaten to death with big bamboo sticks. Aung San Suu Kyi made repeated requests to then UN envoy Razali for a UN investigation into the May 30 Massacre. The present UN Envoy Gambari refuses to discuss the 2003 massacre in his briefing to the UN Security Council.

Earlier this year, The Nation published my open letter to General Maung Aye. In our private letter to General Maung Aye we have indicated our willingness to enter "good-faith" negotiations to facilitate the reconstruction of Burma.

May God Bless Burma.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

Dallas, Texas

...........................................................

Processing technology for cassava needs a boost

Re: "Cassava and biofuel: the new magic", Opinion, September 24.

I must thank The Nation for publishing this very important article on a very important subject for Thailand's future and I hope that those in authority will study it carefully. As Reinhardt Howeler pointed out, cassava will no longer be a poor man's staple and only good for animal feed as in the past because, with modern technology, this easy-to-grow plant could become a value-added product as a new source of energy.

However, I hope that we'll think twice before trying to increase exports to China in form of dry chips and let China reap the benefits. According to my own experience, gained nearly a decade ago as a technical consultant in this business, making dry chips the old fashion way - drying them in the sun - reduces the starch content drastically due to the natural process of fermentation, especially during the rainy season. Improving processing technology, therefore, is the answer.

Vic Phanumphai

Bangkok

Potential vast for steam-locomotive trips

Re: "Steam locomotives underused in rail system", Letters, September 23.

I would like to echo David Hardcastle's sentiments about the sparse number of steam excursions in Thailand.

However, appearances of the iron beast are not quite as rare as he suggests. There are, in fact, three regular trips from Bangkok to Ayutthaya per year: March 26 (State Railway Day), October 23 (Chulalongkorn Day), and December 5 (His Majesty the King's Birthday). These are hauled by post-war Japanese-built locomotives and are invariably well patronised.

There was a series of steam trips from Kanchanaburi over the River Kwai line seven or eight years ago, and maybe it is time for these to be revived.

Perhaps the State Railway of Thailand is afraid of overkill, but I am sure the market would stand a few more steam outings on some fresh routes.

Aya Kakuma

Bangkok

...........................................................

Send us your views in an instant

E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to

the Editor' in the subject box, to:

letters@nationgroup.com