Cabinet today approved a plan to fully reactivate Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to ease strain on Suvarnabhumi airport – Thailand’s largest – deputy government spokesmen Chalitrat Chantarubeksa said.
The plan was proposed by Airports of Thailand (AoT) not only to relieve congestion at Suvarnabhumi, but to increase potential in the transport sector, increase revenue, reduce accumulated losses, solve the problem of depreciation of assets at Don Mueang and to have the additional airport available as an “alternative… in case of the unexpected,” the Bangkok Post reported.
According to the plan, Don Muang will mainly serve low-cost carriers operating domestic flights while Suvarnabhumi will remain the main international airport.
Various government agencies have pledged support in making preparations to resume full use of Don Mueang.
“The prime minister has instructed all concerned to make use of Don Muang Airport and to provide convenience for passengers to the fullest extent,” Mr. Chalitrat said.
Full services were halted at Don Mueang airport when parts of the facility were inundated by water during last year’s floods. At that time the government set up an operation center at the airport to tackle the flooding crisis which affected wide swathes of the country, including Bangkok and surrounding provinces.
