Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum is objecting to the House committee on transport's proposal to develop Nam Phong airport into a commercial airport because he says nearby Khon Kaen airport can still function well enough.
The minister yesterday said that there was no need to develop Nam Phong airport because Khon Kaen airport was only about 30 kilometres away and had enough capacity for air traffic needs.
Besides, the development of Nam Phong airport, which the air force was using for training, would end up being too costly, he said.
Echoing Mr Sohpon, Chaisak Angsuwan, deputy permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry, said that Khon Kaen airport was capable of serving 2.5 million passengers a year and that the current number of air passengers visiting the airport was only around 400,000 to 500,000 a year.
He said that Nam Phong airport was the only place left for the air force to conduct exercises and the air force regularly uses the airport for this purpose.
Developing Nam Phong into a commercial airport would affect military operations and thus jeopardise national security, Mr Chaisak said.
The runway and parking bays of Nam Phong airport are heavily cracked and the airport is surrounded by tall trees,he said.
It would be too costly to maintain the facility which would also need a better road network in its vicinity.
Friday, August 21, 2009
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