Phuket, Krabi Airports Remain Closed As Protests Continue

[FreedomDude]

And they have every right within the means of law just to do whatever they think is right!

How many times Quantas, BA, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Banks, trains, public services in the "real world" go on strike and then what who cries "foul"?

get real!

Since when is breaking into an airport and blocking the runway legal?

hmmm.... this is what i have said a hundred times, why are the police not arresting these people, at least it would show some law and order in Thailand......... oh sorry i forgot the police where being paid by the PAD...........

Yeah, I think Thailand's total lack of respect for its police forces nationwide (a deserved disrespect) is a big driver behind this irrational mob movement. Anything anti-police must be morally justified, right? Most Thais loathe the boys in brown.

[cyborg22]

We are in Summer high season!

No, we are in extreme low season right now.

As reported by the travel agencies regarding how many people that where affected [from my home regions countries] when the blockade of airports begun.

Don't know for which place you are speaking but on Samui August is definitely the busiest month during summer. All european countries have summer holidays. Only mid december-march is better.

My wife has told me august this year has been the best for two years. This is in la mai

koh samui. I'm back there in one month i hope.

Cy

[sempronius]

i can bet that the majority of the idiot protesters have no idea why they are there in the first place and even give a thought what impact this will have on tourism with the peak season only short time away - sure that most tourists will be heading to Vietnam and china now --- they come on holiday to relax - not wonder when the next protest is going to close down the airports and trains -- no way will they come here - and then the business owners will be complaining they have no tourists they can fleece-- no tourists - no incomes -=- and a ton of unemployment -- all because a couple of bent guys have a personal vendetta against taksin

We are in Summer high season!

and yes it's all about money - the country, the people can provide as a background for the "heavenly tourists"?

It's their COUNTRY, it's their lives, they ain't no tourists here they are the citizens of this - their country, Sir!

And they have every right within the means of law just to do whatever they think is right!

How many times Quantas, BA, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Banks, trains, public services in the "real world" go on strike and then what who cries "foul"?

get real!

I agree, strikes here are not as common as in Europe, but maybe they are inconvenient for the "elite" writing in Thai Visa.

A lot of the posts here seems pretty patronizing.

I'm not quite convinced that all the protesters are as stupid as you seem to think, even if I don't agree with them 100%.

A lot of them are spending their own money to sponsor the demonstration, not getting "500 baht a day" as you seem to think.

I had occasion to talk to quite a few of them and got the impression they have a pretty good idea of what they are doing.

[LeungKen]

We are in Summer high season!

No, we are in extreme low season right now.

As reported by the travel agencies regarding how many people that where affected [from my home regions countries] when the blockade of airports begun.

Don't know for which place you are speaking but on Samui August is definitely the busiest month during summer. All european countries have summer holidays. Only mid december-march is better.

My wife has told me august this year has been the best for two years. This is in la mai

koh samui. I'm back there in one month i hope.

Cy

Those posters wanting to talk about Koh Samui, would they please post in the Koh Samui thread. Thanks

[Trichiliocosm]

Of all the islands I've been to in Thailand, which numbers about 25, Koh Samui is by far the dirtiest, ugliest and overall most similar to Bangkok...it's like a microcosm of Bangkok located on an island, which is bad news for the sea. Fortunately there are still some nice nearby islands you can leave Koh Samui for, such as Ko Tao, and in the end it redeems that scuz of an island you started on.

[LtCol]

Several Aussies booked for School vacations in October in Pattaya,Phuket now changing their destination to Bali. That info from a business acquaintance in the Travel Agency biz here in Perth.

She had several yesterday & 15 to-day (Saturday) .

Guess not too many demonstrators thinking about their economy from the Tourist Dollar.

But , I do not criticize every free persons right to express their disagreement with Governments , I just do not fathom the 'cut of their nose to spite their face' actions

There always seem to be innocent sufferers in these incidents...............Oh well ???????? 'til the next time, wherever it may be

[wedders]

All this - and the news as portrayed on CNN BBC etc - can give the impression that this is happening all over the country. The effect of soundbite news, as usual. But most (Thai) people are just getting on with their lives and don't give a monkey's... at least that's the impression I'm left with here in Chiang Mai and after a trip to Yasothon. I say they don't care, but they have been suffering from a big drop in tourist numbers in the North before this blew up, and they are certainly concerned that the situation might get worse.

(As always being 'concerned' in Thailand is mixed with a considerable dose of mai pen rai, of course)...

Anyway, no sign of this affecting flights into Chiang Mai, or Chiang Rai... as yet.

[wineaux]

And they have every right within the means of law just to do whatever they think is right!

How many times Quantas, BA, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Banks, trains, public services in the "real world" go on strike and then what who cries "foul"?

get real!

Since when is breaking into an airport and blocking the runway legal?

hmmm.... this is what i have said a hundred times, why are the police not arresting these people, at least it would show some law and order in Thailand......... oh sorry i forgot the police where being paid by the PAD...........

like Samak said yesterday, its not the right time, yet....

[TexasRanger]

All this - and the news as portrayed on CNN BBC etc - can give the impression that this is happening all over the country. The effect of soundbite news, as usual. But most (Thai) people are just getting on with their lives and don't give a monkey's... at least that's the impression I'm left with here in Chiang Mai and after a trip to Yasothon. I say they don't care, but they have been suffering from a big drop in tourist numbers in the North before this blew up, and they are certainly concerned that the situation might get worse.

(As always being 'concerned' in Thailand is mixed with a considerable dose of mai pen rai, of course)...

Anyway, no sign of this affecting flights into Chiang Mai, or Chiang Rai... as yet.

Same in Bangkok, if you are not near the "action" you wouldn't even know. Walk past all shops and beauty salons and the girls are watching soaps, not coverage of this thing, the people I have spoken to just shrug and say they don't really care.

[scrabbleking]

I wonder what % of these protesters, rely on these pi$ed off delayed or cancelled tourists for their main source of income??

choppy

Not quite true! Their main income is the 500 baht per day they receive from their monkey masters

Try 200 baht for a 12 hour day of labor, no health care, vacation pay, no pension to retire in a tropical paradise, etc. while Taksin and others in power steal BILLIONS of baht and do everything in their power to keep the poor powerless. We farangs HAVE what we have, because those before us in the lower classes of our countries fought for justice and equal distribution of wealth, fought corruption, stode up to those that oppressed them.

[choppychugger]

Violent avatar. Do you care?

YES..!

I have family here and Phuket is where I lay my hat. Not sure if your aware, but the tin mines are long gone and pasty looking people that turn a lobster red colour arriving in big metal birds keep the Phuket economy going nowadays.

I have a lot of friends who rely on the tourism trade for there bread and butter.

Are you implying that because I have ( in your view ) a "violent avatar" that I'm beyond caring?

Never judge a book by its avatar.

Choppy

I like your avatar Choppy. I hope your famliy is not impacted by these events, but I don't expect any change to the situation down south until things get straightened out here in the capitol. Whatever happens, this does not make Thailand look good in from the outside world perspective. I agree that people will most likely reconsider their vacation destinations and look to other SEA locales without a political crisis every two years. We shall see.

The world wide credit crunch will have big enough effects on Tourists even thinking of choosing to go abroad for their hols, let alone poltical uncertainty - and the fact that their plane may not even get to land.

Thanks I chose the avatar 'cos it was different.

Choppy

[sloopy]

Tourists stuck in Thailand

Article from: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/' target="_blank">

AAP

August 30, 2008 11:10am

HUNDREDS of Australian travellers are stuck in Thailand after protesters 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 yesterday.

Jetstar diverted its Sydney-Phuket flight to Bangkok last 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 today.

"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 yesterday, 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 last 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".

[tracer5050]

Went to Suvarnabhumi Airport today to pick up a friend. Talking to taxi driver about the mob as he called them. He told me that most of the Thais have said to him , That if police can not move the mob. He thinks the army will take charge if they move in on Suvarnabhumi Airport .The prime minster will have to get off his being soft path.Let all hope for a safe end to this

[hegenious]

Thai bashing going on on this forum make me sick. When will you start realizing that you are a guest in this country, nothing more, nothing less, and that as such you should respect your host. If that is too much for you, please leave. We can do very well without you, and oh, what brought you here in the first place?

All I see posted by the bashers are comments against presumed Chinese conspiracy of some sort and about how stupid the Thai are, with no will or brain of their own, when they are only trying to exercise their democratic rights. I am pretty sure protests have happened more than once in your home country, but it is so easy to forget about that, isn't it. I, for one, remember the violent protests in France a few years ago. Now is France a banana republic? I don't think so.

Other than that, rest assured, I condemn violence.