AoT board to mull aircraft noise curbs

General news - Thursday December 13, 2007

AoT board to mull aircraft noise curbs

Proposal will include a tax at Suvarnabhumi

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

The Airports of Thailand (AoT) board will today consider a proposal to curb aircraft noise, which also includes a noise tax at Suvarnabhumi airport. An AoT source said the AoT's panel, tasked with finding solutions to noise problems at the airport, had finished its study and would today propose seven options, including the noise tax, to the AoT board's meeting, chaired by deputy permanent secretary for defence Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr.

According to the source, some international airports, including Frankfurt airport, have imposed a noise tax as a measure to force airlines to keep noise at minimal levels and the charge and noise level are correlated _ the higher the level of the noise, the higher the charge for the airplanes.

This option is in line with the the polluter-pays-principle applied to environmental protection work. Some airports even impose extra charges on passengers, considered part of the problem.

However, the source said, the Department of Aviation appeared to prefer another measure which offers incentives like a cut in airport usage fees for airlines that manage to reduce noise levels. Such measures are used at Narita in Japan.

''This measure, if approved, can also have immediate effect,'' the source said.

According to civil aviation regulations, Suvarnabhumi airport has the flexibility to bring down usage fees as long as they are under the rate set by the Civil Aviation committee.

The source noted that the Thai Aviation Act of 1954 prohibits the airport from imposing new fees, including noise charges.

Other options in the AoT's study include a noise quota for each airline which would force them not to cause excessive noise, limiting the number of flights, and imposing a ban on night flights.

The ban has been demanded by noise-weary residents, who complain the noise keeps them awake at night. Late last month they asked for dispensation from the Central Administrative Court to impose a temporary ban on night flights. However, the court rejected their request, citing the economic impact and contracts the airport had made with airlines.

There are 166 night flights in total at Suvarnabhumi airport, 95% of which are international flights. If the airport suspends these flights, it would breach the contracts.

Residents living near Suvarnabhumi airport launched protests against high noise levels after the airport opened in September of last year.

They have complained of sluggishness in airport problem-solving, including late compensation payments to affected householders. Officials are required to stick to the state compensation ceilings while locals complain the state appraisal of their houses and land was unfair.

The AoT is required to buy houses of residents who suffer noise levels higher than 70 decibels and pay for sound-proofing of the houses for those suffering lower noise levels.

Bangkok Post