On September 12, 2019, a report from Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) indicated that Mr. Chula Sukmanop, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), issued an urgent letter (CAAT 17/7911) dated September 6, 2019, regarding the assessment of impacts from construction within the aviation safety zone to the President of AOT. The letter stated:

           “The project poses risks to aviation safety due to potential unlawful interference while aircraft are landing at low altitudes during takeoff and landing (Low Risk). It is recommended that Suvarnabhumi Airport and related agencies implement security measures to mitigate the risk of interference.”

           However, the letter referenced training conducted by CAAT with the Transportation Security Administration of the United States from August 14-23, 2019, which found that the area poses risks of unlawful interference. Following the Ministry of Transport's directive for CAAT to assess aviation safety at the construction site of Central Village, it was noted that Suvarnabhumi Airport is a regional aviation hub expected to serve 70 million passengers this year.

           AOT further reported that CAAT sent a letter to CPN Village Co., Ltd., summarizing that following the amendment of the Air Navigation Act B.E. 2497, which took effect on May 26, 2019, new criteria have been established to ensure safety within the aviation safety zone under Sections 59/1 and 59/2. CAAT found that the Central Village project is located within the aviation safety zone near Suvarnabhumi Airport and may involve activities that could be prohibited under Sections 59/1 and 59/2. Therefore, CAAT requested CPN Village Co., Ltd. to assess the risks of various operations that may affect these prohibitions and propose measures to prevent risks identified in the assessment. This should be done in the form of an aviation safety impact assessment and submitted to CAAT for consideration within 60 days from the date specified in the letter.

           A source from AOT's aviation experts stated that the letter confirms CAAT's position that the Central Village project impacts aviation safety and poses a risk of unlawful interference, which, even at a low level, should not exist. This could affect the image of Suvarnabhumi Airport and Thailand. The risks associated with international airports are risks that should not occur, even at 1%.

           “CAAT's request for CPN Village to prepare a report on aviation safety impacts to assess and manage risks, and submit it to CAAT for approval, raises questions about whether this is appropriate. CPN Village lacks expertise in aviation security measures and is directly involved. CAAT, as the regulator of aviation safety standards, should invite AOT and related agencies to form a committee to study and establish guidelines for CPN Village to implement, rather than allowing CPN Village to create measures and assess impacts independently, as they are the ones causing the impacts and risks to Suvarnabhumi Airport's safety,” the aviation expert source stated.

           The source continued that CAAT has not specified what constitutes a low-level risk, what percentage it represents, and whether this low-level risk is acceptable by international aviation organizations. The recommendation for AOT and related agencies to implement security measures to mitigate the risk of interference raises questions about the seriousness of this recommendation and what specific security measures should be taken, as CAAT's letter does not clearly specify the nature of the risks involved or the potential for interference.

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