No change in plan to make suvarnabhumi a top-10 airport: aot

What is your work priority now?

Reviving Suvarnabhumi Airport. I have been busy with the lawsuits against the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders, but this is in line with the legal framework and I have no expectation [of having them found responsible for the damage]. What I expect is Suvarnabhumi not to be under anybody's control again. Airports can't be allowed to stop operating. There must be measures to protect the airport, to restore foreign confidence. It heartened me when PM [Abhisit Vejjajiva]vowed not to let it reoccur.

Are improvements needed to Suvarnabhumi's security force?

The airport's security force meets international standards, but their responsibility is to provide convenience to airport users, not to protect the airport against occupation by outsiders.

Any complaints by international aviation agencies and airlines?

Lots of them during the closure, as the airport plunged into huge confusion. Even AOT

officers were scared and could not answer them.

Overall, they realised that the government was partly to blame [for the closure], as airports anywhere can't protect themselves. We can govern only those who respect laws: when we see suspicious persons and ask for their IDs, they must comply. That's all we can do. That [understanding of our position] showed why they [the aviation agencies] were ready to help us reopen the airport so quickly.

On disgruntled passengers, we are consulting the regulations to see whether we can send them apology letters. They must have been angry, but through the letters, we can tell them we're terribly sorry.

Any change to AOT's goal to place Suvarnabhumi among the top 10 airports in 2009?

Definitely not. Certainly, the airport closure would affect our ranking (which was 44th at the opening in 2006 and slightly below 10th in the third quarter of 2008). The ranking, particularly on security as well as passenger perceptions, must have been affected. But it's necessary to stay on course.

How can you improve Suvarnabhumi's ranking?

We have to improve services and extend convenience to all. Right now, at Zone East, business and first-class passengers of THAI (Thai Airways International and Star Alliance members) are treated with the premium check-in. We're looking to offer similar convenience to premium passengers of other airlines at Zone West. To help airlines, we're also looking at fees, their types and how we can reduce them.

Any delay to Phase 2 development?

No. The airport is operating near full capacity and we need to proceed with the investment. The plan is awaiting Cabinet approval and then we can proceed with finding a project consultant. There's no financial problem. The first thing we can do is construct a third runway.

What are AOT's business plans for 2009?

We must increase the non-aeronautical revenue and proceed with the planned investment on unused plot 37. Don Mueang would be fully utilised, probably to welcome business jets aside from chartered flights. Still, it would not be turned into a low-cost terminal, as we still adhere to a single airport concept (where Suvarnabhumi would be the only international airport in Bangkok). Private jets could also be welcomed at Phuket.

Many famous people come to Phuket in private yachts and some have private jets. We are also re-zoning commercial areas to put matching-product shops in the same areas, to facilitate passengers' shopping. From Chiang Rai, we're implementing the re-zoning programme in Phuket and Chiang Mai.