*EPF203 07/01/2003
Text: U.S. Trade and Development Agency Awards Grant to Aid Thai Airport
(USTDA awards $139,887 grant to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd.) (450)

Following is the text of the June 30 USTDA press release:

(begin text)

U.S. TDA: Current Press Release

USTDA GRANT SUPPORTS GROUND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DESIGN
FOR THE NEW BANGKOK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

For Immediate Release

BANGKOK - (June 30, 2003) Earlier today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $139,887 grant to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Limited (AEROTHAI). The grant will be used to fund a feasibility study on a digital trunked radio ground communication system at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The grant was conferred in a signing ceremony held at AEROTHAI headquarters in Bangkok. Ms. Judy Reinke, U.S. Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, signed the grant on behalf of the U.S. Government. Mr. Priti Hetrakul, President, signed on behalf of AEROTHAI. Ms. Stacy Bonnaffons, USTDA Manager for Asian Business Development, represented USTDA at the grant signing.

The Royal Thai Government has prioritized the development of Suvarnabhumi International Airport as a world-class facility that is anticipated to be the largest in Asia. The airport is scheduled to open in 2005. AEROTHAI is a state-owned enterprise responsible for providing aeronautical communication services for airline and airfreight operations at the new airport.

The USTDA grant awarded today will assist AEROTHAI with the design of the digital trunked radio system for ground communications that will ensure secure and efficient ground operations. AEROTHAI requires an independent assessment of its draft technical requirements and specifications to ensure that the airport ground communications system design meets world-class standards and adaptability for future expanded applications.

The MITRE Corporation, a non-profit, federally funded research and development center based in McLean, Virginia, will conduct the USTDA-funded study. The MITRE Corporation is internationally recognized for its expertise in planning, designing and overseeing related ground and air communications and information technology (IT) systems. If the project is implemented, over $22 million in U.S. exports of equipment and IT services may result.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Return to Public File Main Page

Return to Public Table of Contents