Quick rehabilitation planned for flooded Don Mueang Airport

BANGKOK, November 26 (TNA) - Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has planned the restoration of the 3,000-rai, or 4.8- square-kilometre, flooded Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok in two phases. AOT President Aniruth Thanomkulabutr said that the first-phase rehabilitation of the Don Mueang Airport, now Thailand's main domestic airport, estimated at some one billion baht, will cover runways, taxiways, power supplies and navigational aids in its eastern side to serve government airplanes, and is scheduled to be complete by January 2012. Aniruth acknowledged that the second-phase rehabilitation of the country's former main international airport, will deal with its facilities and buildings in the western side, including a domestic passenger terminal and a cargo warehouse to serve private businesses concerned. According to the AOT chief, the rehabilitation for full-scale services of the Don Mueang Airport will await completed drainage of floodwater. About 300,000 cubic metres of floodwater are being pumped out of the airport every day. The AOT president said that in the future AOT will develop a permanent flood prevention system for the Don Mueang Airport, with the existing flood prevention system at Thailand's new main Suvarnabhumi International Airport probably be applied for. (TNA)