Protesters Block Access To Phuket, Hat Yai, Krabi Airport

[LucWise]

I am scheduled to arrive in HKT tomorrow morning after two weeks in BKK. I have a refundable ticket on Thai and could just change my schedule to fly straight back to the United States. Is this recommended given the situation in Phuket?

[LeungKen]

I have a 1430 Air Asia flight outbound from Phuket. Any word on flights in or out for this afternoon?????

If I was allowed to gamble, I would have 500 Baht on the Airport staying closed today.

But in all honesty I don't think anyone here can answer your question factually.

[Peterchap]

Hundreds of Aussies stranded in Thailand

August 30, 2008, 11:02 am AEST

AAP (Australian Associated Press)

Protests in Thailand have forced the closure of three airports, leaving many Aussies stranded."

Hundreds of Australian travellers remain in limbo in Thailand after protesters seeking to overthrow the government have forced the closure of three airports.

The resort island of Phuket was the first airport to shut its doors, followed by Krabi and Hat Yai in the country's south as protests spread across the country on Friday.

Jetstar diverted its Sydney-Phuket flight to Bangkok on Friday night.

A spokeswoman says Australian passengers booked on the return flight, from Phuket to Sydney, had been provided with accommodation as they wait for the airport to re-open.

The spokeswoman could not specify how long the 265 passengers will have to wait.

"(Passengers) in Phuket have been accommodated, if they haven't been able to remain in their hotels that they were already staying in," the spokeswoman told AAP on Saturday.

"Once we've got the advice from DFAT

(Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and the airport is open then we will know that we can operate out.

"That's the situation until we have advice that we can operate out."

More than 5,000 protesters invaded Phuket International Airport on Friday, storming its two runways and preventing passengers from going in or out, according to an Agence France-Presse report.

The low-cost carrier flies between Sydney and Phuket three times per week.

The airport protests came as thousands of activists have laid siege to Bangkok's Government House calling for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign.

DFAT updated its travel advice for Thailand on Friday night to highlight the risk posed by the political unrest, on top of long-standing warnings about the threat of a terrorist attack.

"There are on-going large political demonstrations in Bangkok, a number of which have been disruptive and have blocked access to key buildings and roads," the department warns.

"The demonstrations have also affected access to some airports including in Bangkok, Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi and disrupted some rail and air services."

Thailand's southern provinces continue to have a "Do not travel" rating, while for the whole country tourists are urged to show a "High degree of caution".

[sbk]

Off-topic and inflammatory personal posts have been deleted.

Thanks very much to Simon and others who are keeping us up to date, lets try to not muddy the waters of this thread with our personal issues, thanks.

[nickh]

Hi,

Anyone have a link for int/dom flights for Phuket.

thanks

[drorb]

I apologize in advance if my question will be off topic.

I have family member's who are stuck in bangkok airport for a day or so, trying to fly to Phuket.

Should they keep on waiting, or should they try to fly to Surat Thani or Koh Samui instead, and take a bus?

Thank's in advance.....

[LeungKen]

Hi,

Anyone have a link for int/dom flights for Phuket.

thanks

This is it, Good Luck

http://www.phuketairportonline.com/node/12

[LeungKen]

I apologize in advance if my question will be off topic.

I have family member's who are stuck in bangkok airport for a day or so, trying to fly to Phuket.

Should they keep on waiting, or should they try to fly to Surat Thani or Koh Samui instead, and take a bus?

Thank's in advance.....

That is an almost impossible question to answer as nobody seems to know if the Thai Prime Minister will resign or not (and that basically is what is keeping the A/port in Phuket closed IMHO)

The "word on the street" (for what it's worth) where I live very close to the airport, is that the airport won't reopen until Samak (The current P.M.) resigns. If it was very important to get here to Phuket then plans B & C should be addressed.

[drorb]

Hat Yai airport reportedly reopened to flights

Hope it wil continue.....

[sbk]

Can this post be restarted so all the political crap can be discussed else where......

I and others just want to know whats happening with the transport situation in Thailand.I really don't care for the views on the situation by armchair western wannabe politicians.

I agree stiggy, this thread is vital for those interested in the transport situation.

Please discuss the political situation in the PAD thread and leave this one to discussion of the effect of demonstrations on transport in the country, thanks

[Likeki]

Very little info concerning actual airport operations here. I am on my way there now and will provide a real time report from the airport once I get there. Wish me luck for my 1430 departure.

[sbk]

Unfortunately for everyone it is not just Phuket's airport that has been closed.

Posts have been deleted. Please honor my request to keep this topical, thanks. Further such posts will also be deleted.

[LeungKen]

Very little info concerning actual airport operations here. I am on my way there now and will provide a real time report from the airport once I get there. Wish me luck for my 1430 departure.

I sincerely wish you luck, but I fear that you could be disappointed.

Perhaps a plan B should be hatched as word around the airport is that there won't be any flights out in the immediate future, but that's only gossip from a lot of the rank & file workers.(And should be treated accordingly)

Cheers & Once again Good Luck and please update us from the airport.

Edited August 30, 2008 by LeungKen

[Felt 35]

Thai friend working for Thai Airways in Phuket told me just now that they "plan" to start flying again 1800hrs today.

[simon43]

Update at 11.30am:

Now some Thai friends who work in duty-free at the airport have been sent home and told that flights will not restart until at least 6pm.

Some PAD demonstrators are back at the main airport entrance again and have broken the glass windows of the car-park ticket booth. (Maybe they didn't want to pay for parking?)

Anyway, certainly not good news for tourists stranded here in Phuket and those unable to fly here for their holidays.

Simon

[sbk]

Once again, posts have been deleted.

PLEASE honor my request to keep this topical, thank you. Many people are concerned about developments on the ground in regards to airport closures, so lets refrain from judgment calls, political diatribe and hyperbole. Thank you.

[lopburi3]

Please keep this thread on topic and about hard news. I have also removed posts.

[Likeki]

Sitting inside airport now. Protesters outside but say may more on the way. There is no one manning any of the ticket counters and Air Asia has a note saying can call to change flights or get refunds. All gates closed and we had to slip through a opening in the fence. Inside relatively few passenges are waiting.....looks like many may have not even bothered to even try. Few AOT staff inside and they dont really have any good information anyway. Considering renting a car and heading north to BKK. Hope this helps some board members?????

Take Care & Good Luck,

Rich

[Boater]

Update at 11.30am:

Now some Thai friends who work in duty-free at the airport have been sent home and told that flights will not restart until at least 6pm.

Some PAD demonstrators are back at the main airport entrance again and have broken the glass windows of the car-park ticket booth. (Maybe they didn't want to pay for parking? )

Anyway, certainly not good news for tourists stranded here in Phuket and those unable to fly here for their holidays.

Simon

Good reporting Simon, keep the updates coming in

So i take it the airport will be shut till 6 pm?

are there many PAD there at the moment?

[simon43]

Several of my hotel customers have already rented cars to return to Bangkok the 'slow way'. In light of the current situation at Phuket Airport, this would seem to be a sensible idea if you have international flights leaving from BKK.

Simon

Edited August 30, 2008 by simon43

[GmB]

Sitting inside airport now. Protesters outside but say may more on the way. There is no one manning any of the ticket counters and Air Asia has a note saying can call to change flights or get refunds. All gates closed and we had to slip through a opening in the fence. Inside relatively few passenges are waiting.....looks like many may have not even bothered to even try. Few AOT staff inside and they dont really have any good information anyway. Considering renting a car and heading north to BKK. Hope this helps some board members?????

Take Care & Good Luck,

Rich

Likeki another option is the bus starting from Phuket Town, it takes around 12 hours and the last one should be at 18,20

Good luck

[Boater]

Please add all bashing or support of PAD into this thread please

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Pad-Comments-t209464.html

So we can keep the news forum clean....

thanks

[lomatopo]

Thank you for all the real-time updates re:HKT. Does anyone have any updates re: HDY and KBV?

Hopefully not off-topic, but are any other airports affected, perhaps either as a result of protests or aircraft rotation?

[mjperry]

Just got back to my house, went to Phuket airport this morning to take the 10:00 Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, when i'd arrived there were no protesters in site and no Thai Airways staff either, nobody on the check-in desks, nobody at the Thai ticket counter, and lots of tourists and other travellers waiting around. There were signs up on all the check-in counters saying due to anti-government protests the airport was closed till 18:00, these were later replaced with signs saying the runway was closed until 18:00 at the earliest and to get in contact with Thai Airways call centers with their phone numbers listed.

Then lots of Thai Airways staff appeared and started recommending everybody leave the airport and not to wait as definitely nothing happening before 18:00, after I got outside on my motorbike it became clear why, the protesters had started gathering again outside and I guess the staff were worried we might get stuck inside.

Decided to go to the Thai Airways main office in Phuket Town to try and get some sense of what was happening as all we got from the airport staff was 'sorry we're closed' and the call center was obviosuly jammed, tried waiting on hold for 30 mins before giving up. In Phuket Town they weren't able to change my flight to any of the scheduled flights after 18:00 on the off chance they manage to go as her computer said those flights were un-bookable so the nice lady rebooked my flight for tomorrow and suggested I call the airport/Thai Airways closer to 18:00 to see if it was likely anything would be leaving tonight similar to the flight that was allowed to leave late last night, she gave me these numbers to try them on:

076360444 - Thai Airways @ Phuket Airport

076327230 through 076327236 - Phuket Airport Information (Not Thai Airways)

Edited August 30, 2008 by mjperry

[Likeki]

Sitting inside airport now. Protesters outside but say may more on the way. There is no one manning any of the ticket counters and Air Asia has a note saying can call to change flights or get refunds. All gates closed and we had to slip through a opening in the fence. Inside relatively few passenges are waiting.....looks like many may have not even bothered to even try. Few AOT staff inside and they dont really have any good information anyway. Considering renting a car and heading north to BKK. Hope this helps some board members?????

Take Care & Good Luck,

Rich

Likeki another option is the bus starting from Phuket Town, it takes around 12 hours and the last one should be at 18,20

Good luck

GmB,

Thanks.......but my international flight departing Thailand is not until the 7th so I have some room for play. May wait a few days here in Phuket and see how it all plays out. I cant imagine this will last for 8 more days??????

Rich

[huggybear]

I'm due to fly out of Phuket Tuesday. Please keep the updates coming and if come Tuesday there is still a problem, I am open to sharing a car rental with anyone else that needs to get to BKK.

[wraptor]

Hello,

I'm in need of some urgent advice. I am supposed to be on the Air Asia 21:50 flight from Phuket to Bangkok tonight. I cannot get a hold of Air Asia as it's busy every time I call. I am currently in Karon. I would hate to take a taxi all the way to the airport just to find out flights are canceled then have to taxi back to Karon. Any thoughts? Anyone had success contacting Air Asia?

[lomatopo]

You could check a website like flightstats to see if FD 3029 departed BKK, that equipment turns around at HKT and becomes your flight FD 3028. Right now it doesn't look like any flights have flown BKK-HKT today so I'd say the odds of your flight departing are slim. It also looks like PG (Bangkok Airways) is trying to get at least two BKK-HKT-BKK in after 18:00.

[sbk]

Bussing it over to Surat Thani could be an option as well, as the Surat airport seems to be open.

[Boater]

I'm due to fly out of Phuket Tuesday. Please keep the updates coming and if come Tuesday there is still a problem, I am open to sharing a car rental with anyone else that needs to get to BKK.

Good idea, as i would guess all the buses are jammed packed at the moment!

I believe if you rent through budget, you can even leave the car in BKK when you drop it off at the airport, so renting a car for a day only 1500 + 1500 Gas, so is spilt betwwn 4 less the a grand