Wattay to make way for new airport

(KPL) The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said yesterday that the government is scouting for a suitable site to build an airport that would give a good image of Laos to air travellers. 
CAD said that there is an urgent need to replace the present Wattay International Airport because it is close to the centre of Vientiane, it is located in a highly urban area of the capital city and the flights of the planes to and from the airport is a source of noise pollution.
Mr Vanpheng Chanthaphone, Vice-Head of the Civil Aviation Deportment said that recently there is an increase in the number of flights to and from Wattay but as its size and available facilities are limited, the government is seriously thinking of building a new one in a more suitable location.

We studied the options and we concluded that Wattay cannot cater adequately to the long term economic growth of the Vientiane Capital and morever its location in a densely populated area of the city means that many people night die in an unforseen air crash near this airport, he added. 
Recently, the Lao government gave the green light for the Booyong Company of the Republic of Korea to conduct a feasibility study to build a new airport. A ceremony was held on 5 December to commemorate the commencement of such a study and the two signatories were Mr Sommath Polsena, Minister of Public Works and Transport and Mr Lee Joong-Keun, Chairman of Booyong Company.The new location has been decided and it will be at Kilometre 21 of Road 13 South, in Xaythany district of Vientiane Capital and near the new International Stadium, the venue of the 25th SEA Games in 2009.
The Civil Aviation Department also said that a land area of 5,000 hectares has been set aside for the new airport and the feasibility study is expected to be completed by 2010. If the Lao government approves the plan, the Booyong Company will carry out construction work in 2011 and its scheduled completion date is 2015.