AoT threatens King Power with safety law suit, say reports

Gavin Lipsith

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The authority claims that the retailer has failed to meet 10 out of 20 changes deemed necessary for health and safety at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport

Airports of Thailand (AoT) is to take legal action against King Power International Group (Thailand) for failing to make all the changes it demanded at the retailer’s outlets at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport, according to the Bangkok Post. The authority claims the group has not made 10 out of the 20 changes it deemed necessary for stores to meet health and safety regulations at the airport.

King Power agreed several changes to its airport stores with AoT, which formally informed the retailer of the necessary changes in an official letter in May, giving it 30 days to comply. King Power deputy managing director Susan Whelan told RavenFox.com at the time that the retailer had already made most of the changes, but suggested that some—such as moving the massive Churning of the Milk Sea monument at the entrance to the airside area—were unrealistic.

The latest threat is in addition to threats by AoT to sue King Power over its two contracts covering duty-free retail and total commercial responsibility at Suvarnabhumi, in response to King Power’s own legal action over AoT’s cancellation of the contracts.