SUVARNABHUMI

Baggage carts subject of new airport inquiry

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

The board of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has found irregularities in the calling of tenders and supply of baggage trolleys at Suvarnabhumi airport. The investigation is focusing on changes to the terms of reference and on substandard trolleys which have injured more than 100 passengers.

Spokesman Chirmsak Pinthong said AoT management had repeatedly changed the terms for the selection of the supplier.

A former senior figure in the Transport Ministry changed the specifications without following normal regulations.

Excluded from the original terms was the requirement for contenders to have experience in airport trolley services.

The terms were also changed to welcome trolleys that lock into wheel grooves on escalators, like those used in some hypermarkets, he said.

The board wondered why AoT had rejected German trolley supplier Wanzl's offer of free trolleys in exchange for advertising rights on the carts for seven years.

AoT awarded the supply contract to Thai Airports Ground Services Co (Tags), which previously monopolised ground services at Don Muang airport. The company is contracted to supply and maintain 9,000 trolleys at Suvarnabhumi for seven years and to receive 533 million baht.

Mr Chirmsak said the supplied trolleys had sharp edges that had injured more than 100 passengers. Their supposedly escalator-friendly wheels also became stuck when trolleys were used in grooved passages in the passenger terminal.

Tags chief executive Anuphong Rojnuckarin admitted the trolleys had problems, but said the wheels, sharp edges and substandard baskets on 3,000 of them had already been fixed.

He said the company had just followed the terms of reference set by AoT which had already officially accepted the trolleys.

The AoT board has set up an inquiry headed by former senator Pratin Santiprabhob to investigate the trolley supply, commercial space development at the airport by King Power, and other airport contracts worth 5.5 billion baht that avoided bidding contests.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Wednesday April 11, 2007