Thailand's Aot to Meet on Developing Land Around Suvarnabhumi Airport

The board of Airports of Thailand property Public Co., Ltd. (AoT) scheduled to discuss this Thursday a plan to develop land around Suvarnabhumi Airport for commercial goal and to generate revenue for the agency, a senior AoT official said Sunday.

Surathat Suthammanas, AoT deputy director, said the agency’s board would confer on developing 37 plots of land around Suvarnabhumi Airport, located in Bangkok's neighboring province of Samut Prakan, into a so-called Airport City which could create revenue for the agency.

It was expected the board would agree with the plan, he noted.

Commenting on money amounting about Bt5 billion (US$159.82 million) spent by the AoT to construct an underground tunnel and station under the airport's passenger terminal which could be reimbursed from the State Railway of Thailand property (SRT), Mr. Surathat said negotiations would launch after the SRT had appointed a new governor.

He said after the payment was settled, the SRT could operate the area by itself.

Otherwise the AoT was willing to operate the area commercially and share the revenue earned with the SRT.