King Power: Out by Dec 11

By Amornrat Mahitthirook

King Power Duty Free will be given 60 days starting Friday to remove its duty-free outlets from Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai airports, the Airports of Thailand (AoT) board decided yesterday.

Spokesman Chirmsak Pinthong said the 60 days will be counted from the day the company receives official advice of the decision. The letter will be sent today, he said.

The company has 15 days in which it can appeal. The action follows the AoT board's ruling that the decision by the previous board on April 2, 2004, to award the firm the contract was void because of the lack of transparency.

The board also confirmed Chana U. Sathaporn, director of logistics for the air force, as the new AoT president at a monthly salary of 600,000 baht.

Mr Chirmsak said the board and Air Marshal Chana had agreed on the remuneration package. The president's performance will be be assessed every six months and he would be entitled to a pay rise if the board was satisfied. The contract could be cancelled if his performance did not meet board expectations.

The new president is required to seek approval from the board when employing new AoT staff members. This is to prevent him hiring cronies on generous salaries, as a certain AoT executive had allegedly done in the past, the source said.

AM Chana said his most urgent task is to solve the problems at Suvarnabhumi airport and restore the AoT's image.

The AoT board also disapproved a 60-million-baht contract to hire Pacific Consultant International as a consultant firm