VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh cited the Ministry of Defense that there is no worry associated with golf course projects inside airports.

When airports become golf courses
A week before the National Assembly’s question and answer session, seven questions have been sent to the chief of the Minister of Planning and Investment, asking about golf courses; including the underway project in HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Hanoi’s Gia Lam Airport. The questions have been also forwarded to Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

“Do the Ministry of Planning and Investment or local authorities license the golf course project in Tan Son Nhat Airport? Is this project appropriate to the airport expansion plan and flight safety?” This is the question of Deputy Nguyen Ngoc Hoa.

Deputy Huynh Minh Thien wrote that HCM City’s constituents are very confused with the project to build a golf course, restaurants, villas and high-class apartments in Tan Son Nhat Airport. He questioned the Minister about security, flight safety, environmental impacts and economic effect of this project.

Deputy Doan Nguyen Thuy Trang raised the public’s worry over the golf course projects, which include high-rise buildings, at Tan Son Nhat and Gia Lam airports to the Minister of Transport. “If accidents occur to flights, caused by these projects, does the Ministry of Transport take responsibility for them? Trang questioned.

Deputy Huynh Minh Thien said he had received the answer from Minister Bui Quang Vinh. According to Vinh, the golf course project in Tan Son Nhat Airport has been considered and approved by relevant agencies a long time ago. It was also submitted to the Prime Minister for approval. This project has been implemented under strict procedures.

Vinh said that the golf course does not affect flight safety much. Regarding high-rise building, the Ministry has asked the investor to lower these works to ensure flight safety.

As to economic effect, the Minister answered that this project would contribute to the State budget and creates jobs for locals. He said the Ministry would ask the investor to conduct deeper research to have a detailed answer.

In terms of environmental impacts, the Minister said that relevant agencies have carefully researched of this issue to ensure the lowest impacts on the environment. The Ministry will further work on this.

Deputy Thien said he would keep an eye on this project to ensure that it would be implemented as the Minister promised.

On the sideline of the ongoing National Assembly meeting on November 18, Minister Vinh told VietNamNet that he had answered deputies in written.

He said both golf course projects in airports belong to the Ministry of Defense.

The Ministry of Defense confirms that these airports would not affect security and flight safety and there is nothing to be worried about economic effect, environmental impacts, etc., Minister Vinh said.

Vinh added that the Ministry of Planning and Investment had just checked this project and it has been completed basically.

According to the approved plan, the total area of the project is 157 hectares, 111 of which is devoted to the golf course. The remaining area will see the construction of a 5-star hotel, restaurants and other building complexes (maximum 12 stories in height) to cater for the needs of leisure guests. A complex of luxurious villas and apartments for rent and high-class schools from kindergarten to secondary are also included.

Phuong Loan