Protesters Block Access To Phuket, Hat Yai, Krabi Airport

[moskito]

......Air Asia has a note saying can call to change flights or get refunds....

Really a very good idea, changing flights to WHERE ?? Malaysia ?? Refund its an easy way to get rid of the customers.

I am waiting for a friend, she will arrive tomorrow early morning in Phuket....NORMALLY,-- BUT--whats the actual status of HKT

Airport for tomorrow morning? Its an intercontinantal flight so they depart in the evening in germany.

Please keep us postet Simon and the other people with REAL informations, THANKS A LOT to You.

Someone here from Surathani? is there normal traffic on the airport? guess its a very small one. Has Thai or AirAsia relocated flights to Surat? what happend with all the tourists arriving in Bkk now instead of Phuket?

[keemapoot]

I had the travel adventure from hel_l last night. I was in Bangkok, had a 18:20 flight, waited until the last moment, called Thai, they said, yes, the flight was operating, but you had to walk out of the airport. Took my 45 minute taxi to Swampypoon. Got to check-in. Airport closed. Al flights canceled. Immediately went down and got into a taxi and told him take me to the South Bus terminal. Two hours later, we arrived after being stuck in rush hour traffic. Got to the ticket counters. Was told the 7:30pm bus was full. Managed to get a seat at 8PM. All buses full. 12 hours later with little sleep, I arrived ok at Thalang today, and was picked up. Result: I paid for the airplane ticket, I paid extra for taxis, etc... NOW, I can just imagine the inconvenience of people toting familes with young kids, etc..

So, my advice is to definitely rent a car, or find a mini-bus. I expect all coaches to be full. By the way, I did check on renting a car, and Budget is the only company that rents cars one way, either BKK-HKT, or vice versa. However, for short term rental, there is a 3,000 Baht surcharge, so that's an expensive rental. Oh..., by the way, Budget office is at...guess where? Yup, Phuket airport, so I'm not sure you can even do that.

Good luck to all, but I would approach hotels as I expect they're organizing vans to and from Bangkok now. If I had a group or family, I'd probably approach a local unlicensed taxi and make him an offer to drive you.

[Likeki]

Just got back to Patong from the airport as my flight canx. The opening in the fence to which I got into the airport had been barricaded closed by the protesters who were not so happy I was trying to escape via the same route. I did find an outbound taxi that was able to negotiate a suitable exit. I would say maybe 200 people waiting in the terminal. Like I said before my Thailand exit is not until the 7th so I had some time to lay low in Patong so thats my option. If this continues I will either rent a car or take a large mini-van to BKK. The mini-van people are making a killing right now packing about 12 bodies in a van for the 12 hour ride to BKK at 2K baht per person. Word from some locals at the airport is that there will be a Royal address to the people tonight and that will take place about the same time the airport is now "scheduled" to resume flights. The rumor is that whatever the King has to say tonight will make a huge difference on what happens with the current Prime Minister and also what happens at the airports over he next few days. Good luck to all those trying to exit Phuket.

Best wishes,

Rich

[NBT TV Phuket]

Saturday 15.00: At 11.40 -12.45, the Director of Phuket Airport, plus senior Police of Phuket province, gave a press conference in Thai and then English, telling our reporters that Phuket airport remains closed for at least another 6 hours, probably 'for most of today' and so far 118 flights including 25 international have been cancelled, with 15,000 passengers affected. They wanted to hold a meeting with leader of PAD protestors at 2pm but noone turned up, so the Director invited them to send a representaive to talk.

The Phuket Tourist Association & Thai Hotel Association (southern chapter) are trying to inform outgoing passengers in Phuket and offer to put them up a special reduced rate with light meals in accomodation until airport reopens. They are also willing to take passengers by bus to Bangkok or Surat Thani. Samui and Surat Thani airports were still open. He said Krabi airport was still closed but only had 2 flights scheduled. Destination Air seaplanes could continue to fly and land on water, even near the airport as it was 'up to them'. Yesterday some tourists/passengers crossed the tarmac from the back south east side near the beach, although they were guided by officials and was still safe, it was not advisable. He was not happy that some tourists had to climb over barbed wire fences with luggage to get into the airport.

The police have not arrested any protestors, including those who broke the law when they entered the tarmac apron near runway. Safety is the biggest consideration. They have standby electric generators incase of any power cuts. The provincial police chief reaffirmed that they have no policy to use violence or force against protestors.

[zaZa9]

My brother was on Jetstar JQ27 due in at 20.20 last nite from Sydney and redirected to BKK. Jetstar did a great job housing all passengers in the Rama Gardens Hotel. A meeting today announced a reappraisal of conditions at 6pm today but at 3pm , Australian officials admitted they had little confidence in the prevailing conditions and offered to organise 12 seater o/nite minibuses departing around 5pm from BKK to Phuket at customers expense.

He called and asked, " Is it safe there? Another passenger has asked me to ask you why this PAD are picking on tourists?"

May seem naive to us living here, but that is the perceptions of these Tourists...

[simon43]

Forget Destination Air, It's a small seaplane and the Ozzie maintenance engineer who was staying at my hotel went back to Oz a few weeks ago after they didn't pay him. He left the seaplane engine in 500 pieces:)

I'll go and take a look inside the airport - see what's happening.

Simon

[LivinginKata]

He called and asked, " Is it safe there? Another pMay seem assenger has asked me to ask you why this PAD are picking on tourists?"

Yes, it's safe enough here on Phuket Island. The mob was isolated to the airport, think they all went home last night. I hope this message gets out to the international media.

[GmB]

The website of Phuket Airport report as landed some flights can someone confirm this?

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

Carrier Destination Departure Status

Thai Airways International (BKK) Bangkok 03:00 PM Landed On-time

Thai Airways International (BKK) Bangkok 05:00 PM Landed On-time

[fred2007]

Tourists stranded as protests spread

From correspondents in Bangkok

August 30, 2008 05:12pm

Article from: Agence France-Presse

• Protests close Thai airports
  
• PM meets king to discuss protests
  
• Calls for PM to resign
  

THAI Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has met the nation's king on escalating protests that have closed three key airports and sparked clashes with riot police.

After the protests erupted into skirmishes with police yesterday, causing minor injuries and rattling nerves in the coup-prone kingdom, Mr Samak flew from Bangkok around midnight to the nearby town of Hua Hin to meet the king at his seaside palace.

"He reported to the king on the current situation and he will return to Bangkok today," the government official said.

About 15,000 passengers are stranded on the holiday isle of Phuket as hundreds of anti-government protesters block access to the island's airport.

Thailand's second-busiest airport was closed yesterday afternoon after 5000 protesters set up a blockade and marched down the tarmac, forcing authorities to suspend flights to and from the island.

About 400 protesters from the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which is also squatting on the main government compound in Bangkok, blocked access to the airport today.

Frustrated travellers carrying backpacks and rolling luggage behind them tried to enter the terminal. About 100 made it inside before the protesters started turning them away.

"I want to go home. I have nothing to do with this situation,'' one frustrated Australian man said.

Wicha Nurnlop, director of Phuket International Airport, said the airport would remain closed at least until 6pm (9pm AEST) today.

So far more than 100 flights have been cancelled, including 25 on international routes, leaving 15,000 passengers stranded, Mr Wicha said.

Tourists have been given free hotel rooms until the airport reopens, while authorities are scrambling to arrange buses for about 100 passengers trying to connect to onward flights in Bangkok.

Airports at Krabi and Hat Yai in the country's south were also closed as protests spread across the country yesterday.

Hat Yai reopened today.

Hundreds of Australian travellers have been caught up in the protests, with Jetstar diverting its Sydney-Phuket flight to Bangkok last night.

A spokeswoman said Australian passengers booked on the return flight from Phuket to Sydney had been put up in accommodation as they waited for the airport to reopen.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have demanded Mr Samak resign and accuse him of acting as a puppet for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The same group helped topple Mr Thaksin in 2006, and has openly called for the palace, the military and Thailand's traditional elite to take a greater role in politics.

The PAD rails against popular democracy, saying it has encouraged corruption, and in July unveiled a plan for a new system of government in which 70 per cent of the seats in parliament would be appointed rather than elected.

Although the demonstrators regularly invoke the king, both in speeches and with royalist imagery, he has remained silent in the stand-off, staying away from the protests in his beachfront Klaikangwon palace, whose name means "Far from worries".

The king has little formal political power, but he holds enormous sway over his subjects and has acted as a referee during past political crises in his six decades on the throne.

Despite torrential rains early today, at least 6000 protesters barricaded themselves for a fifth day inside Bangkok's main government complex.

A handful of activists wearing motorcycle helmets practiced combat techniques with homemade shields and bamboo rods. Nearby, free food was distributed to the protesters.

"We will not quit. We will not go home until we win," one woman shouted from a makeshift stage set up in their camp.

Hoping to defuse the crisis, Mr Samak has called for an emergency parliamentary debate tomorrow but has refused to step down or call new elections.

[rundmw]

Another datapoint: At approx Sat 11:30AM, I bailed on all hope of my BKK-HKT flight and grabbed a taxi for the bus station servicing the southern region. Got a ticket no sweat (departing 17:50 though). Have seen a few farang here, maybe more than usual, but certainly not a swarm (currently 16:15), so perhaps bus tix to Phuket are still available here.

[ Just realized that this post is not strictly about the airport closure, but since it's transport-related, I hope you'll consider it sufficiently on-topic. Just trying to help. ]

Good luck to all.

[LeungKen]

The airport here at Phuket is still not operating.

After a scaling back of protesters this morning there appears to be a large increase near the Bureau of Meteorology (for those that know the area)

IMHO I doubt that there will be any flights out of here today.

[simon43]

Update at 1645:

I just got back from the airport. Certainly the information on the airport website that some planes landed around 3pm is not true! - I can hear every plane when it lands The airport is very quiet now, with no flights operating. Some Ozzie guests at my hotel have been told by Jetstar that no flights will operate before Monday!

The PAD demonstrators are crowded onto the main approach road to the airport, and there are no demonstrators at the VIP entrance where it is still possible to walk into the airport.

I'll try to check after 6pm tonight.

Simon

[phuketrex]

I'm just back from the airport. Basically it is CLOSED and the protesters told me it will remain closed until Samak has gone! I managed to get past the barricade ;-) Will post a report and some pics soon here>>> www.phuket-info.com/forums/general/...html#post514410

Edited August 30, 2008 by sbk
no direct links to outside forums please

[Likeki]

6 PM????? Any recent happenings at the Phuket Airport? Hope this is all done before the 5th or 6th????

[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?

An update to my own situation. I finally got Air Asia on the phone and confirmed that all of the flights today/night are canceled. He booked me on tomorrow nights flight but I'm not really feeling too optimistic about that. I checked into taking a night bus from a tour agency here in Karon. The lady made some calls and said there was room on the 32 seat bus. I told her I wanted to decide in the morning hoping tomorrow flights will resume. Apparently I need to decide by 10am to guarantee a seat. I'm very surprised this is not in the news much and I'm very grateful that I found this site. Thanks for all the updates and help.

[NBT TV Phuket]

18.05: PAD in Phuket insists they would stop protests only if the Prime Minister resigns, while the Phuket International Airport still closed with no clear re-opening time

A representative from the PAD Uthai Suksirisamphan insisted that if the Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, resigns after seeking an audience with HM the King this evening, they then would dissolve from the airport. This follows the meeting between Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima, Provincial police, Mr. Uthai and representatives of 9 airlines this afternoon. The Phuket Vice Governor re-affirmed that the authority has no policy to deal violently with the protestors. Mr. Uthai said if the Prime Minister resigns the protestors will open their blockade of the airport and if the airport flights are still being blocked it would be not from their action.

The airline representatives requested that the airport only re-open when 100% safety is assured and that the airport should not announce developments every 6 hours as it would cause confusion to foreign airliners.

The airport re-opening is therefore not scheduled yet, despite the original plan of 6 pm today as protesters are still rallying in front of the airport. The number of protesters also increased in the late afternoon.

---------

The Phuket Tourist Association and Thai Hotel Association Southern Chapter in Phuket have sent messages requesting their hotel members take care of out-going guests who got delayed by the protest, by giving special room rates with light meals. The PTA can be contacted at 076 – 222177. The Phuket Airport contact number for tourists is 076 351144

Edited August 30, 2008 by NBT TV Phuket

[Likeki]

Flight Stats website shows 4 flights as landed on time at Phuket. 2 at 3PM and 2 at 5PM. Also shows no flights have departed.

[BlueSmurf]

wELL THANKS TO REPORTS FROM pHUKET....i HAVE FLIGHTS BOOKED FOR MY FAMILY OF 5 FROM CHAING RAI TO BANGKOK THEN ON TO PHUKET TOMORROW! I have been to the airport in chaing rai to get some info..I was told did not know anything i.e. airport open or closed in Phuket..I know its closed..ask them what i could do if i cannot go? They told me to phone the help desk. As i thought and expected they are too busy and do not answer no real problem as by the look of it i would only be stuck in bangkok and as i have a 4 year old not really a option..What did anoy me was that i can only change my ticket by getting through on the phone or going to Bangkok. They also said i could not get a refund only a credit! when i said 2 of my family would be back in the uk soon( flights alowing) they said no problem i could give the flights to someone else!! How generous of them!!!

Hope this brings a smile to someone as i think we are lucky to be here in chaing rai rather than in stuck in Phuket...I would still like to go as we live here so will see what happens tomorrow..T.I.T.

p.s. Hope all who take a bus get there in one piece!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

[NBT TV Phuket]

18.35 Tourism sector in Phuket plead for the PAD to allow flights to resume as the suspension has severely damaged tourism and economy

Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) and Thai Hotel Association (THA) Southern Chapter at 5pm this afternoon held a press conference pleading with the protestors to allow flights to resume at Phuket International Airport as the suspension has already severely damaged the tourism and economy. In the statement, Mr. Metee Tanmanatrakul, President of THA Southern Chapter, estimated the loss of around 250 million baht per day. He said Thai people as host country should allow foreign tourists to return home safety after visiting the Andaman region. He emphasized that the impact of the protest not only has immediate impacts, but will be felt in the next 4 – 5 years while tourism is the ‘big pot of rice’ for people in this region. The PTA and the THA Southern Chapter insist that they do not make any conclusion which side is right or wrong, but sees that foreign tourists should not be affected or responsible for the internal conflict.

[NBT TV Phuket]

18.50: PAD members still gather peacefully at Krabi International Airport

At 6 pm today the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) still make a peaceful rally in front of the terminal of Krabi International Airport while it is still closed for all flights with no time scheduled to re-open. No protesters are in the runway area as no flights are allowed in or out. Krabi Governor Siwa Sirisaowalak ordered police officers to station there, but with no confrontation or violence. If the rain does not come this evening, the numbers of protesters are expected to increase.

[mjperry]

Flight Stats website shows 4 flights as landed on time at Phuket. 2 at 3PM and 2 at 5PM. Also shows no flights have departed.

The flights shown as landed were scheduled departures from Phuket to Bangkok not arrivals into Phuket, its actually 2 flights not 4 as well, the other 2 listed are code shares with Thai Airways flights. The updates for the two flights happened at almost the exact same time. Presumably as those flights never left Bangkok yesterday, hence still sitting on the tarmac there Thai are just clearing out the old flights from their systems trying to get ready for if/when they can start flying again. And it looks far better for statistics purposes that these flights landed on time than actually being cancelled

[Maestro]

Flight Stats website shows 4 flights as landed on time at Phuket. 2 at 3PM and 2 at 5PM. Also shows no flights have departed.

I can't see that on my screen. See attachment and this flightstat.com page:

http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus...mp;x=7&y=11

The “actual” arrival times are marked as “estimated times” and the flight status is shown as “scheduled”. For some reason the legend does not get included when printing to PDF and I attach it separately.

--

Maestro

20080830_flightstats_HKT.pdf

[CHAIYES]

GG VTBSSKTX

301110 VTBDYNYX

(C4916/08 NOTAMR C4913/08

Q) VTBB/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/0807N09819E005

A) VTSP 0808301110 C) 0808311100

E) RWY09/27 CLSD)

The above has just been issued by the Civil Aviation Department of Thailand to all aviation industries worldwide.

In simply english, Phuket airport is officially closed to all operations until 1800 local Thailand time on the 31st Aug 08.

[Maestro]

Aside from flightstats.com, the following web sites may be useful for checking on flight arrivals and departures at the tree airports mentioned in the title of this topic:

For Phuket (HKT)airport:

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

For Hat Yai (DDY) airport:

http://www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/ha...nfo.asp?lang=en

For Krabi (KBV) airport:

http://www.krabiairportonline.com/flight-status

For Phuket and Krabi, the times shown in the column "arrival" are scheduled times. Look at the column "status" to see if the flight really arrived or left. For Hat Yai, the site seems useless as it gives no flight status, just a time-table.

Strangely, most airlines list their flights as "scheduled" when in fact they cancelled them. Notable exceptions are Singapore Airlines and Silkair.

--

Maestro

[Maestro]

...The above has just been issued by the Civil Aviation Department of Thailand to all aviation industries worldwide.

In simply english, Phuket airport is officially closed to all operations until 1800 local Thailand time on the 31st Aug 08.

Thank you, Chayes, for decoding and posting that.

--

Maestro

[saneroad]

The latest local news I've seen about the situation @ Phuket airport is here: http://phuketwan.com/article/tourism/phuke...an-the-tsunami/

[Maestro]

Seeing a decision was made to restrict this topic to posts related to the airport closure and to information about flights and alternative transportation to Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi I have now gone through the entire thread from the beginning and removed all posts not meeting those criteria. If any member needs a copy of his deleted posts for his memoirs or whatever please send me a PM and I’ll see what I can do.

--

Maestro

[Likeki]

Great info and easy to follow now. I have decided to not even try until the 1st now. Thanks for all the real info from everyone thanks!!!!

Rich

[simon43]

It's 21.35 now and I just got some important news, (but as yet unconfirmed). A colleague tried to drive their car off Phuket Island and over the Sarasin Bridge which connects Phuket with the mainland (PhangNga province). however, they were turned back by PAD protesters who have shut the bridge!

I can only confirm this by driving up to the bridge - so I might do this and report back.

Simon

[ozymandious]

It's 21.35 now and I just got some important news, (but as yet unconfirmed). A colleague tried to drive their car off Phuket Island and over the Sarasin Bridge which connects Phuket with the mainland (PhangNga province). however, they were turned back by PAD protesters who have shut the bridge!

I can only confirm this by driving up to the bridge - so I might do this and report back.

Simon

Sigh, cringe, hold head in disbelief.... wait for more info.

Please let us know what's going on Simon and please say it aint so... (Re the bridge)