Bangkok's mothballed Don Muang airport looks set to be reopened, just months after it was replaced as Thailand's main gateway by the new Suvarnabhumi airport.
Don Muang was shut late in September when Suvarnabhumi opened to handle domestic and international traffic. Deputy transport minister Sansern Wongcha-um and other government officials say studies are under way to determine whether Don Muang should be reopened to handle non-connecting, point-to-point domestic flights.
Those behind the proposals say it would help to ease the burden on Suvarnabhumi airport, which at peak times is already operating at or near capacity.
State-owned Airports of Thailand says its board has voted in favour of reopening Don Muang but the proposals still require the approval of the transport ministry and Thailand's Cabinet.
Approval looks likely to be secured, potentially allowing for Don Muang to reopen to handle limited point-to-point domestic operations in the second quarter of this year.
The government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra considered until a year ago keeping Don Muang airport open to handle flights by low-cost airlines, but decided against it.
Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless military coup just before Suvarnabhumi opened in September and the military personnel who took control of the country are seen to be in favour of Don Muang being reopened.
Suvarnabhumi, which is located 27km east of Bangkok, has an initial design capacity of 45 million passengers annually and it is expected to reach this in just a few years. Don Muang is located around 25km north of Thai capital Bangkok.
Don Muang could reopen in the second quarter of 2007
Source: Airline Business
