Abstract
Aircraft noise and other environmental externality effects have gained significant public attention in Thailand since Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in 2006. Residential areas around the airport are expanding rapidly and local residents are protesting about the noise and air pollution from the airport. This study employed Stated Choice to elicit willingness-to-pay (WTP) values to reduce aircraft noise and air pollution. The novelty of the research arises from the fact that it explores monetary values of externalities not only for those who suffer from the pollution (residents) but also those who have some responsibility for the externalities that are created (i.e. air passengers). Results indicate that passengers and residents have different priorities in terms of aviation externalities. As might be anticipated, residents place a higher value on aircraft noise nuisance than passengers at 104.76 USD and 70.63 USD per year respectively to halve aircraft noise levels. In terms of air pollution, passengers had a higher WTP at 151.18 USD against residents' WTP of 86.52 USD per year to halve local air pollution created by aircraft. Passengers are willing to pay 41.69 USD per year to offset carbon emissions. The study found that aviation growth at Suvarnabhumi was underestimated and there is an urgent need to implement environmental mitigation policies to address the issue.