Secret door at Don Mueang Airport sparks investigation
A former MP accused a transport minister and officials of corruption, alleging that they allowed people to enter and exit Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok via a secret door without passing through immigration and customs.
Watchara Phetthong, a former MP from the Democrat Party, submitted a complaint to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (ONACC) regarding a secret door located at a hangar in Don Mueang Airport, which is owned by a private company.
Watchara explained that he received complaints from residents living near the airport and airport staff about the door, which connects a public road to a restricted area of the airport.
Some people were allegedly able to enter the airport through this door without passing through immigration or customs checkpoints for 24 hours.
He pointed out that this situation could facilitate criminal activities, allowing smuggled goods to be transported in or out of the country via the door. Additionally, illegal or banned items could potentially be brought into the airport through this unauthorised access point.
The former MP demanded that the relevant officials clarify whether the door was installed with official permission, and if so, who granted the permit.
He further stated that the existence of such a door violates regulations set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Watchara called on the transport minister in office at the time of the door’s construction, along with the director of Airports of Thailand (AOT), the director of Don Mueang Airport, and the owner of the private company, to explain to the public.
In a related aviation matter, the National Public Health Foundation raised concerns over a proposal to introduce smoking rooms in six airports under the management of Airports of Thailand (AOT), including Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports.
The foundation pointed out that such smoking rooms would contravene laws implemented seven years ago, which mandate that all airports in Thailand must be entirely smoke-free.
It also warned that the presence of smoking rooms could impact the evaluation of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Airports’ quality standards.
As of now, a final decision on the smoking rooms has not been made. The Public Health Minister has ordered officials to conduct a thorough study on the potential impact of the smoking rooms before presenting their findings at a forthcoming meeting.
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