The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has joined forces with the National Economic and Social Development Board to ground a Bt62 billion-project to expand Suvarnabhumi Airport, citing the lack of an environmental impact assessment, a source said yesterday.
The source from the Transport Ministry said the board of Airports of Thailand has already approved the Suvarnabhumi Airport Development Project for 2011-2016 and the ministry will propose it to Cabinet for consideration.
However, agencies such as the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry believe the project should be put on hold until AOT submits an EIA to the National Environment Board for review and completes a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
AOT must cooperate with other agencies to conduct the SEA for the area surrounding the airport and submit the SEA to the SEA subcommittee, which would forward the study to the National Environment Board for approval. The project has not come up with plans to prevent noise and other pollution that could result from the next phase of development of the airport.
The NESDB believes the project should be given the go-ahead only if the Transport Ministry submits its EIA and gets it approved by the National Environment Board for complying with environmental laws. The Transport Ministry should study the suitability of the project and other alternatives to the planned development in line with the October 14, 2009 Economic Cabinet resolution. The studies should be submitted to the Economic Cabinet to formulate a policy for the airport's future.
The Transport Ministry should also draw up a risk management plan and consider as a priority how to make the investment worthwhile, well-planned, efficient and within the financial capability of AOT.