Phuket Airport’s ‘cool’ conundrum: A chilling malfunction
Phuket International Airport publicly addressed the ongoing issue of its malfunctioning air conditioning system at the international terminal managed by Airports of Thailand (AoT Phuket),
Phuket International Airport general manager is Monchai Tanode but a response to the problem was delivered in a press release yesterday with no specific signatory. The document clarified the issue of the air conditioning system’s failure at the international passenger terminal.
The press release acknowledges several online posts where tourists expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the airport terminal’s air conditioning, criticising the service as unfit for an international airport.
The most recent of these complaints was a report made to the Ministry of Transport by Phuket MP Thitikan Thitipruethikul, representing Phuket District 3, regarding the airport’s failure to fix its air conditioning system.
According to AoT Phuket’s statement, the malfunction was due to the failure of two cooling systems which led to a higher-than-normal temperature in the terminal. An inspection revealed a refrigerant leak in the cooling system.
On becoming aware of the situation, AoT Phuket promptly engaged a company for urgent repairs, including replacing the coolant. The airport management assured that they are set to expedite the procurement of spare parts to restore the air conditioning system’s efficiency, reported Phuket News.
In the interim, AoT Phuket has installed 90 portable air-conditioning units throughout the terminal to ensure passenger comfort. The press release included images showing temperature readings within the terminal between 24℃ and 25℃.
According to AoT Phuket, the cooling system was functioning normally by the end of the day yesterday. The statement concluded with an apology for the inconvenience caused.
Meanwhile, AoT Phuket’s GM, Monchai, was leading a public meeting to discuss the potential impact on residents of the 6 billion baht Phase 2 expansion of the airport, which aims to increase the airport’s capacity to 18 million passengers annually.
