Director of Betong Airport transferred to inactive post

Oh dear, it all looked so promising… Following on from Nok Air’s declaration that it was suspending services to the newly-opened Betong Airport due to low uptake, the airport’s acting director has now been sacked. According to a Nation Thailand report, Duangporn Suwanmanee was removed from her position just 4 days after Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha arrived on the airport’s first commercial flight.

According to the report, Department of Airports boss, Parinya Saensuwan, issued 3 orders on March 18. The first was for Betong’s acting director, Duangporn, to be removed from her position and transferred to an inactive post at the Airports Standard Control Division. She was also sacked as director of Narathiwat International Airport.

Parinya’s second order was for transportation specialist Surirat Thipyotha to be appointed as Narathiwat Airport director. The third directive was for the appointment of another transportation specialist, Kornnit Sukkarn, as the new acting director for Betong Airport.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha flew into Betong Airport on its first commercial flight on March 14. The PM and his delegation arrived on a Nok Air flight from Bangkok to preside over an opening ceremony that marked the airport’s readiness to welcome commercial flights. The next day, Nok Air cancelled 2 flights, saying there weren’t enough passengers. It has since suspended all services to the airport until further notice.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand