Thai Transport Ministry gears up for Moto GP race hinh anh 1A meeting was held to get prepared to provide accommodations for racers and viewers in the upcoming Moto GP 2018 race in Buriram (Photo: thainews.prd.go.th)

Buriram (NNT/VNA) - Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith called a meeting of officials to get prepared to provide accommodations for racers and viewers in the upcoming Moto GP 2018 race scheduled for October 5-7 in Buriram. 

He visited Buriram airport to inspect the preparedness of airport facilities to accommodate participants in the Moto GP 2018 race who will arrive in Buriram from this airport. 

The minister instructed the Department of Airports to repair fences at the airport entrance damaged by flooding, ensuring the availability of vehicles to be used inside the airport, and the availability of high-quality firefighting equipment. 

He ordered officials to be strict with the aircraft apron construction project ensuring maximum quality of the newly constructed aircraft parking lots, and to remove inappropriate advertising billboards in front of the passenger terminal and replace them with tourism promotion signs. 

The department is yet to build more aircraft parking lots to accommodate six Boeing 737 aircraft, as the airport currently has space for only two of them, as well as preparing areas in the passenger terminal to allow for immigration and customs processing, ensuring the preparedness of security and safety devices, coordinating with the police to facilitate more flights and passenger volume, and providing parking spaces for public and private cars and shuttle bus services between the airport and the stadium. 

Buriram airport is currently served by Nok Air, operating 3 daily flights using a 86-seat Q400 aircraft, or a 189-seat Boeing 737 aircraft, as well as Air Asia who operated 2 daily flights using a 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft. 

To facilitate more travel demands, Air Asia will provide additional flights during 2-9 October 2018. Thai Smile Airways will also operate six chartered flights, in addition to two chartered flights by Bangkok Airways, and one private jet flight by M JET during the same period. 

The transport minister chaired a preparatory meeting for the Moto GP 2018 race, which will take place from October 5-7, to ensure the preparedness by all related agencies in transportation and facilitations. 

He instructed the Department of Rural Roads to place guiding signage on 13 roads, while the Department of Highways has been ordered to expand traffic lanes on highways accessing through Buriram, such as highways No. 219, 288, 218, 2074, and 226, and to place signs directing motorists to the race venue. 

In addition to air and road transports, the State Railway of Thailand will add more passenger cars to its regular 24 daily train services for Buriram on the Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok route from October 4-8.-NNT/VNA
VNA