Rayong: Residents draw the line against U-Tapao Airport noise nightmare
Nearly 500 households in Ban Chang district, Rayong, united against the U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport expansion. The bone-rattling aircraft noise has reached a fever pitch, and tensions are soaring as authorities remain deaf to their pleas.
The community, armed with determination, has drawn the line with an imminent demonstration at U-Tapao Airport. Chawalit Romruen, the headman of the Samnakthon sub-district, alongside Prasert Saengyai, the voice of the affected community, spearheaded a gathering of over 400 residents on January 20.
At the heart of their discontent is the recent sound mapping plan, a document that has become the epicentre of community concern. The official assessment, conducted by a designated company, claims that only 93 households are affected by the aircraft noise, a far cry from the previous evaluation identifying a whopping 480 affected households. Chawalit, baffled by the inconsistency, challenges the credibility of the current assessment, leaving the community dissatisfied and zeroing in on the controversial sound mapping plan.
Residents argue that current noise levels, peaking at 80 decibels during aircraft operations, are causing unbearable distress. Their primary demands are clear: fair compensation and a comprehensive review of the entire U-Tapao Airport development project, reported Pattaya Mail.
Chawalit issued a stark warning – if their concerns go unaddressed, the affected residents are prepared to stage a symbolic demonstration, sending a resounding message to the highest authorities of the airport.
In related news, at Phuket International Airport, a violent dispute erupted between two van drivers last Friday, January 19. The altercation unfolded before a crowd of tourists and was vividly captured in a video that has subsequently circulated widely on social media. The incident occurred in the early evening, prompting a swift response from the police who were promptly alerted.
In other news, a legendary tale of fortune emerged from the Ban Chang-Pla Road in Rayong province, where three intertwined rubber trees have become the subject of a lottery luck charm. Locals believe that the spirits residing beneath these trees, which are estimated to be over 100 years old, have bestowed lottery luck upon numerous individuals.
