Some Bt1.5bn needed for restoring flood-hit Don Mueang Airport

BANGKOK, November 23 (TNA) - Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has acknowledged that some 1.5 billion baht is needed to restore both eastern and western runways of flood-hit Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport. AOT Vice President Somchai Sawasdiphol said that the repair of the flooded Don Mueang Airport, now Thailand's main domestic airport, will be divided into two parts, the eastern runways adjacent to the Wing 6 of the Royal Thai Air Force and the western runways next to Don Mueang District. Somchai revealed that the rehabilitation will begin with the Don Mueang Airport's eastern runways, where floodwater has been considerably receded, with an overall cost of some 480 million baht, so that normal aviation services in this part should be resumed within 1-2 months. According to the AOT vice president, the restoration of the low-lying and remaining flooded western runways of the Don Mueang Airport, will be delayed until the 40-50 centimetre-floodwater recedes. The AOT vice president noted that the rehabilitation of the whole Don Mueang airport will take about 2-3 months, with a total cost estimated at about 1.5 billion baht. (TNA)