Bangkok Airport(Suvarnabhumi) Closed by Protesters
Nov 30th, 2008, 01:18 PM
#143
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Well, if you are totally broke traveler who cannot afford a hotel and have no flights to get out of Bangkok, it might not be a bad idea to stay at BKK. The PAD are providing food and stuff for the protesters, the A/C and bathrooms are are running, and so on...
Nov 30th, 2008, 03:10 PM
#144
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No body was held or kept against their will at the airport by the protesters in fact the decision to close the airport on the first day was by the AOT(Airport of Thailand - the airport's administration).
The government has allocated a certain amount of money, around 2 billion Baht to help stranded passengers in Thailand and Thais outside of Thailand who cannot return. Here's the news link but there are typos about the amount of money reported:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30089783
Last night there was another screw-up, TG had informed about 3,000 stranded passengers that they can return today via U-Tapao and that they need to check in at Bi-Tec, a convention facility SE of Bangkok. At the same time, the people who went to U-Tapao yesterday were also told that they could leave today by reporting directly to U-Tapao. So there's enough seats for 3,000 passengers and now there will be 6,000 plus passengers showing for those seats!
The government has allocated a certain amount of money, around 2 billion Baht to help stranded passengers in Thailand and Thais outside of Thailand who cannot return. Here's the news link but there are typos about the amount of money reported:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30089783
Last night there was another screw-up, TG had informed about 3,000 stranded passengers that they can return today via U-Tapao and that they need to check in at Bi-Tec, a convention facility SE of Bangkok. At the same time, the people who went to U-Tapao yesterday were also told that they could leave today by reporting directly to U-Tapao. So there's enough seats for 3,000 passengers and now there will be 6,000 plus passengers showing for those seats!
Nov 30th, 2008, 04:20 PM
#145
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I think everybody should realize that the whole situation will take a long long time to resolve.
For example, read this page from Cathay Pacific's website:
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/specialupdates
And you will understand how little U-Tapao is helping.
CX so far has gotten 2 special flights to get under 800 passengers out of BKK. That's all since the whole thing started last Tuesday. And looks like they'll only get just one flight out of there for the next 2 days.
This is from a major Asian airline with normally 5 flights a day HKG-BKK.
And just yesterday did Northwest shipped out NW and UA's stranded crew member out of BKK. Air France just shipped out their 4 sets of crew back to Paris today.
Along with the departing ferry flights out of BKK, right now, airlines are <b>just starting to get their equipment and crew out of BKK.</b> Guess how long it will take to clear all the stranded passengers out of there? And how long will they start to get their regular operation back?
For example, read this page from Cathay Pacific's website:
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/specialupdates
And you will understand how little U-Tapao is helping.
CX so far has gotten 2 special flights to get under 800 passengers out of BKK. That's all since the whole thing started last Tuesday. And looks like they'll only get just one flight out of there for the next 2 days.
This is from a major Asian airline with normally 5 flights a day HKG-BKK.
And just yesterday did Northwest shipped out NW and UA's stranded crew member out of BKK. Air France just shipped out their 4 sets of crew back to Paris today.
Along with the departing ferry flights out of BKK, right now, airlines are <b>just starting to get their equipment and crew out of BKK.</b> Guess how long it will take to clear all the stranded passengers out of there? And how long will they start to get their regular operation back?
Nov 30th, 2008, 04:26 PM
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Sorry, I should have said that CX is hoping to get one special flight per day out of U-Tapao back to Hong Kong.
And just illustrate more the problem. Take Bangkok-Hong Kong's market. In the last few days, I have seen about one special flight per day for CX, TG and OX. But this is a market with about 10 airlines flying, and a lot of people travel between those two markets on the Kenya Airways, Ethiopia, Sri Lankan, etc... Those airlines have no means and no plans to fly special flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong. If they can, they'll go fly the rescue flights westward to their home airport. So, think about the thousands of passengers who were supposed to fly BKK-HKG during the last 5-6 days on those airlines. Think how long it'll take to clear them out?
And just illustrate more the problem. Take Bangkok-Hong Kong's market. In the last few days, I have seen about one special flight per day for CX, TG and OX. But this is a market with about 10 airlines flying, and a lot of people travel between those two markets on the Kenya Airways, Ethiopia, Sri Lankan, etc... Those airlines have no means and no plans to fly special flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong. If they can, they'll go fly the rescue flights westward to their home airport. So, think about the thousands of passengers who were supposed to fly BKK-HKG during the last 5-6 days on those airlines. Think how long it'll take to clear them out?
Nov 30th, 2008, 04:51 PM
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Nov 30th, 2008, 06:07 PM
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Several of my expat friends in Bangkok are saying that the rumor in the expat bars is that nothing will happen until the king gives his pre birthday speech. But even if that does get the PAD out of the airport, it will be after the 15th until the airport gets back to normal operation again.
Does anyone know if the 2,000B a day hotel credit for those that are stranded is just a rumor?
Does anyone know if the 2,000B a day hotel credit for those that are stranded is just a rumor?
Nov 30th, 2008, 06:22 PM
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The 2,000 Baht a day per person is not a rumour it's real. Total amount allocated for this is around 2 billion Baht.
Travelduo you keep an eye out for the news tomorrow when the constitution court will rule on a case against the ruling party(PPP). The party could be dissolved and that should please the PAD as well as most of the country.
Travelduo you keep an eye out for the news tomorrow when the constitution court will rule on a case against the ruling party(PPP). The party could be dissolved and that should please the PAD as well as most of the country.
Nov 30th, 2008, 07:48 PM
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I've been reading all the threads with great interest as we are due to leave L.A. for Bangkok January 24th.
We met with our travel partners tonight for dinner and the question is...should we be looking at alternative plans at his point or is it to early????
We will be flying from Los Angeles to BKK, spending 4 nights then on to Siem Reap, Laos (by way of BKK)then back to BKK and on to Hong Kong.
I am so, so sorry for all the people whose trips have been disrupted by this and also to the people of Thailand whose livelihood depends on our tourist dollars.
We met with our travel partners tonight for dinner and the question is...should we be looking at alternative plans at his point or is it to early????
We will be flying from Los Angeles to BKK, spending 4 nights then on to Siem Reap, Laos (by way of BKK)then back to BKK and on to Hong Kong.
I am so, so sorry for all the people whose trips have been disrupted by this and also to the people of Thailand whose livelihood depends on our tourist dollars.
Nov 30th, 2008, 09:39 PM
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Jaspertl, I have the same dilemma about using Bangkok as a base at the end of January to visit Laos and Cambodia. One thought I had was to fly to Vietnam and avoid Thailand altogether--but I don't have much desire to rework all our travels yet. My second thought is to wait and see. After all, if the Bangkok airport remains closed for even one more week, it would be an unprecedented problem of very large proportions. My third thought is, will the situation in Thailand remain so uncertain after these events, even if resolved for the time being, that future protests could possibly mar travel there for a long time to come?
But, in spite of all these thoughts, these disruptions affect many Thai people whose incomes and daily well-being is threatened. We are, after all--at least most of us--just visitors there whose usual lives are lived elsewhere.
But, in spite of all these thoughts, these disruptions affect many Thai people whose incomes and daily well-being is threatened. We are, after all--at least most of us--just visitors there whose usual lives are lived elsewhere.
Dec 1st, 2008, 11:09 AM
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I know one lady who is very happy to be back home in the USA. After many bus rides (8 I think she mentioned) out of Bangkok, she eventually flew out of Toyko and arrived this morning at LAX. The word "insane" was mentioned several times too.
Dec 1st, 2008, 11:58 AM
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I can imagine how insane it is. And it must be really awful for those travelers who might be sick. Just think, if someone were sick from say... stomach sickness, common there and then had to get on 8 buses to get out.
Or, like the woman on the news, who had two sick, small children and was running out of formula while she was held up in Bangkok airport.
And I really feel for elderly people. If it were one of my elderly parents, they never would have made it through all of this.
So, whenever they do start flying folks out in larger numbers, I hope seats go first to the elderly, sick, and parents with kids. Happy Travels!
Or, like the woman on the news, who had two sick, small children and was running out of formula while she was held up in Bangkok airport.
And I really feel for elderly people. If it were one of my elderly parents, they never would have made it through all of this.
So, whenever they do start flying folks out in larger numbers, I hope seats go first to the elderly, sick, and parents with kids. Happy Travels!
Dec 1st, 2008, 03:53 PM
#157
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Headline news from Hong Kong newspaper for 12/2 is that a HK couple got into a traffic accident on their way from Bangkok to Phuket. Husband died. They flew to BKK on 11/24 and were supposed to fly back to Hong Kong from BKK on 11/28.
