Suvarnabhumi Airport Cancels All Flights As Protesters Surge Into Terminal

[regfrancis]

I keep reading about little old ladies protesting. Do they not understand the financial ramifications that will result from their acts? I don't understand. I respect this country and it's culture, but this is almost akin to when there was rioting in Watts. The people living there destroyed their own property, devastating businesses. They only hurt themselves.

Do they not get it?

Thai style cannon fodder: old retired people and their grandkids...there for free massage soupe and a few baht too!! woopee!!

[Temp]

Turkish Airlines just informed me that their flight TK60 that left Istanbul 25/11 23:40 has landed 3.5 hours ago at U-Tapao airbase.

It had been diverted to Singapore and the passengers had stayed in some hotel there. Reportedly the plane is supposed to take

return passengers that were supposed to leave Suvarnabhumi Airport with it.

Cheers

Temp

[Ratsima]

I cant get through to EVA here in London. Does anyone know if EVA have taken the offer of landing at U-Tapao?

EVA News on Flights to Utapao

Latest Update on EVA Air’s Bangkok Flights

This web page was updated at 20:30, Nov 27 (Taipei time) / 12:30, Nov 27 (GMT)

Suvarnabhumi Airport is currently closed. EVA Air arranges extra flights for passengers as below:

Nov 28

BR1201 Taipei to Utapao (Departure Time in Taipei 13:00 Arrival Time in Utapao 15:50)

BR1202 Utapao to Taipei (Departure Time in Utapao19:20 Arrival Time in Taipei 23:55)

Nov29

BR1201 Taipei to Utapao (Departure Time in Taipei 08:30 Arrival Time in Utapao 11:20)

BR1202 Utapao to Taipei (Departure Time in Utapao14:50 Arrival Time in Taipei 19:30)

[oceano]

I keep reading about little old ladies protesting. Do they not understand the financial ramifications that will result from their acts? I don't understand. I respect this country and it's culture, but this is almost akin to when there was rioting in Watts. The people living there destroyed their own property, devastating businesses. They only hurt themselves.

Do they not get it?

The people living there destroyed their own property"

So why everybody talk about them like: stupid,crazy, terrorist...

they don't destoy your home or your bussiness in your country.

And you forget that all together they said many time in past: Farang go home, stupid farang, walking wallet, also the red shirt.

So be happy, now they understand what does it means lose tourist and lose money, and dont forget all trouble they give to us for stay in thailand to spend money and take care their family.

I wait a child but i cannot stay whit him when him born...because im not over 50!!!!!!

Good all this because can force them to CARE MORE US!!

And at the end they make trouble in their country so live them resolve them problem whitout insult them....red or jellow not important.

Sorry moderator for my english but pealse dont delete my post tks.

[jdinasia]

I keep reading about little old ladies protesting. Do they not understand the financial ramifications that will result from their acts? I don't understand. I respect this country and it's culture, but this is almost akin to when there was rioting in Watts. The people living there destroyed their own property, devastating businesses. They only hurt themselves.

Do they not get it?

Many people there think that Thaksin coming back is far worse for the country than this... very simple answer.

[Lockstock]

It is scheduled to be opened on the 29th at 6PM. A state of emergency has been declared and the police will be clearing the "People Against Democracy" party soon. So you should be right for the 6th Dec. Have a good trip.

Cheers for that. Finger's crossed and all that.

Additionally, I have had enough of Gordon Brown's UK Government ruining the country. I think I wil take a couple of thousand random people and shut Heathrow and Gatwick airports down in depute of the latest DEMOCRATIC ELECTION. In fact, I think we will storm the air-side secure areas of the airport, after all, why should I expect a good kicking from security or Police. Holding my country at ransom over my dispute of the latest DEMOCRATIC ELECTION is perfectly reasonable behaviour....isnt it?

Sound ridiculous doesnt it......in any other developed or developing country I know of, this would already be old news. Why are they being allowed to get away with it?

[grandpops]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/tre...t/Airport17.jpg

5555555555555

PAD falang

LOL

Well as he is obviously so anti corruption somebody better make sure he is here legally and that he never lifts a finger outside the remit of his work permit.

The last Junta were mad keen on Thai nominees in companies as well. Surely no danger of this upstanding individual falling foul of any laws. Unless you know better!

I don't know him but the name "Muppet" just won't leave my head.

Edited November 27, 2008 by grandpops

[oceano]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/tre...t/Airport17.jpg

5555555555555

PAD falang

LOL

Well as he is obviously so anti corruption somebody better make sure he is here legally and that he never lifts a finger outside the remit of his work permit.

The last Junta were mad keen on Thai nominees in companies as well. Surely no danger of this upstanding individual falling foul of any laws. Unless you know better!

I don't know him but the name "Muppet" just won't leave my head.

Him stay in the middle od hundreds of yellow shirt...him save himself....in the same circumstance i will do the same and you? or you put one red???

[junkofdavid2]

On ASTV right now, you can see in the background that the Suvarnabumi elevators are still operational with people riding on them.

Who's riding them with this "airport closure", and who's paying for all the electricity at that rally right now???

[oceano]

On ASTV right now, you can see in the background that the Suvarnabumi elevators are still operational with people riding on them.

Who's riding them with this "airport closure", and who's paying for all the electricity at that rally right now???

the right question is: why they dont shut down electricity and water 2 days ago?

That is the first thing when someone take whit the force one place......

[fauxie]

Ok, I cried BS when a poster said this earlier in a couple of threads, but...

"We will not leave. We will use human shields against the police if they try to disperse us," PAD leader Suriyasai Katasila told Reuters news agency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7752012.stm

Um...

[rainman]

On ASTV right now, you can see in the background that the Suvarnabumi elevators are still operational with people riding on them.

Who's riding them with this "airport closure", and who's paying for all the electricity at that rally right now???

The same 10 year old kids that were seen playing football inside the terminal?

[sassienie]

UK Daily Express version of events:

http://www.express.co.uk/features/view/731...ngkok-showdown-

[fauxie]

Nobody is bothered by that 'human shields' comment from the PAD leader coming through Reuters earlier????

[yadetout]

Airport raid may backfire on the PAD

By The Nation

Published on November 27, 2008

Win or lose, the anti-govt movement will pay a big price for Suvarnabhumi chaos and closure

Sondhi Limthongkul was pleading for public sympathy on Tuesday night. We regret causing a major inconvenience, he said, referring to the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport, but we have no choice. His political movement, the People's Alliance for Democracy, has been the target for sporadic bomb attacks, and the rising death and injury tolls are adding to the tragedy of October 7, when police fired tear gas at Parliament-bound protesters, resulting in deaths and injuries.The PAD's pain is understandable. Its reaction and responses are hardly so. When thousands of PAD members blockaded Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday and penetrated the passenger terminal and scuffled with officials, causing a total shutdown of the airport, what unfolded before us was the transformation of Luke Skywalker into Darth Vader.

Imagine a son about to board a plane to go back home to see his dying mother. Imagine patients in need of urgent medical help stranded. Business deals delayed or cancelled. Countless appointments missed. The point is, if these circumstances seem trivial in the PAD's eyes, how can the movement ever expect others, never mind the whole world, to appreciate its own situation? Understanding works both ways. If the PAD wants others' sympathy, it has to give it out. It's as simple as that.

The PAD's latest, most provocative and controversial strategy may yet prove effective. With the military caught in the middle and reluctant to use force either to end the airport blockade or remove the current government, Somchai Wongsawat's administration is looking like a bigger lame duck by the hour. But whatever the outcome of the Suvarnabhumi siege, the PAD will not get the only thing that is as important as Somchai's resignation - public understanding and sympathy.

This is not civil disobedience. It's the PAD holding travellers hostage. It's the PAD's leaders telling their loyal followers that if someone inflicts harm on you, it's okay to get even at the expense of innocent others. The airport seizure caused more trouble to people whose sympathy the PAD had sought than the politicians the movement has tried to dislodge. The travellers suffered real human ordeals. Somchai and his government are only dealt political blows. How the PAD measures the plight of these two groups goes a long way to telling us its principles and ideologies. Having fought Thaksin Shinawatra and his alleged nominees by standing firm on the issue of conflicts of interests, the PAD has found itself in serious danger of being unravelled ideologically through conflicting values.

Whereas the government and Thaksin must be smiling, the real price the PAD is paying is not the dwindling sympathy from neutrals or the ammunition the airport affair has given its critics. "I'm so saddened and disappointed," said a man who only weeks ago went in and out of Government House on a daily basis to support the movement. "I'm sorry I joined this rally." He had watched the PAD cross the line before and tried to understand the "necessity". This time it was simply too much.

It is people like him who are the real cost of the Suvarnabhumi strategy. But the biggest price to pay may be from those PAD members joining the airport blockade or cheering the move back to Government House. The leaders have won their unquestioned loyalty, but risk blurring their consciences once and for all.

The PAD used to be a political movement that did the wrong things for the right reasons. It's impossible to consider the airport seizure to be morally right because it affects hundreds of thousands of innocent people - the passengers, their relatives, friends, or business partners. That damage cannot be translated into financial figures. That nobody got hurt in the airport drama doesn't mean there is no pain.

The PAD leaders claim they are abandoning "Ahimsa" (non-violence and non-aggression) because its members have become victims and nobody is helping. That is all right as long as what happened on Tuesday is shrouded with proclaimed noble goals. When the action is explained in the simplest terms - "We want you to resign or a large number of innocent travellers won't be going home" - what is the difference between that and holding innocent passers-by at knife-point to force a police officer to lay down his gun?

[LaoPo]

Haj blocked - Bangkok Post

More than 5,000 Thai Muslim pilgrims had planned to make the haj but are unable to leave since the PAD forced the shutdown of the airport on Tuesday.

By Wichayant Boonchote;Friday November 28, 2008 04:46

A senior Islamic official has begged the People's Alliance for Democracy to allow Muslims to board aircraft at Suvarnabhumi airport so they can join the annual haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Pridi Chueaphudee, adviser to the Chularatchamontri, the leader of Thailand's Islamic community, and the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand, said the annual pilgrimage to Mecca was spiritually important to all Muslim people.

An airport blockade could send a wrong message of religious intolerance to Saudi Arabia.

More than 5,000 Thai Muslim pilgrims had planned to make the haj but are unable to leave since the PAD forced the shutdown of the airport on Tuesday.

About 450 pilgrims were left stranded at Suvarnabhumi airport and more than 200 at Hat Yai airport.

Mr Pridi said he would send a written appeal to Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda and the PAD.

Monday was the last day they could arrive in Saudi Arabia before the haj begins, he added. If Thai Muslims were unable to fly there in time it would harm relations between the two countries.

Continues here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=132343

LaoPo

[Rinrada]

Suppose Magic is shut as well..... ...40 bt a beer....

[LaoPo]

BREAKING NEWS - Bangkok Post

1,200 Germans cancel Thai holidays

Friday November 28, 2008 02:38

Thai Airways International said on Thursday it was cancelling all flights from Munich, but would fly on Friday and Saturday from Frankfurt to Utapao, local media in Germany reported.

Passengers would be taken by bus to Bangkok.

A fully-booked Lufthansa flight was to leave on Thursday night, overfly Bangkok and land in Phuket, the airline said.\

German package-holiday companies cancelled holiday departures on Thursday for 1,200 Germans because Suvarnabhumi international airport remains occupied.

Continues here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=132342

EDIT NOTE:

On average a German tourist spends Baht 3.527/day --- he stays, on average, 16,5 days in Thailand = Baht 58.195 per German tourist.

1.200 canceled tourists = Baht 70 Million of LOST INCOME for Thailand

Sources: Immigration Bureau; Police department.

LaoPo

Edited November 27, 2008 by LaoPo

[Koo82]

Many people there think that Thaksin coming back is far worse for the country than this... very simple answer.

Far worse for the Bangkok elites and the likes.

Not far worse for Thailand.

[LaoPo]

...The SILENCE is ear deafening.....07.30AM in Bangkok....and no -important- news.....???

LaoPo

[nickh]

Any idea how many international & domestic flights a day were arriving this high season

at Suvarnabhumi & Don Muang,

[Scott]

Did you want to know the number of flights actually scheduled to land or the number from the previous year?

(Oh, by the way, I don't know either)! But I am curious as well.

[nickh]

any stats are fine, just something to give me an idea,

[filingaccount]

Assuming 14 million arrivals per year by air to Bangkok

assuming each flight is carrying 400 passengers

assuming landings happen 365 days a year

(14,000,000/400)/365 = 95.89 flights per 24 hours. Rounding to 95 flights.

Assuming 95 flights per 24 hours

assuming THB 3,800 per person per day spending

assuming 14 day stays

total direct revenue loss per day 95*400*3800*14 = THB 2,021,600,000 or 2.021 billion (roughly US$ 58 million, EUR 44 million)

3 day closure is so far assumed to be THB 6,064,800,000 or 6.064 billion in direct lost revenue (roughly US$ 173 million, EUR 133 million)

This is of course only very rough assumptions based on assumed arrivals and each arrival is an average tourist. The numbers can of course be statistically proven wrong.

Edit: clarification on total arrivals

Edited November 28, 2008 by filingaccount

[whatawonderfulday]

Could any one provide me with an indication as to the benefit this has been to the environment not having all those planes entering Thai airspace and landing in BKK these last few days ?

Look on the bright side this situation may after all benefit us all in the longer term some way or other.

Arr that good ole carbon footprint.

[Nirvana]

Could any one provide me with an indication as to the benefit this has been to the environment not having all those planes entering Thai airspace and landing in BKK these last few days ?

Look on the bright side this situation may after all benefit us all in the longer term some way or other.

Arr that good ole carbon footprint.

I dont think there is any bright side to this, those with families or in need of medicine will surely agree.

Need to Get it open and quickly

[groovyc]

On ASTV right now, you can see in the background that the Suvarnabumi elevators are still operational with people riding on them.

Who's riding them with this "airport closure", and who's paying for all the electricity at that rally right now???

Of course, you and me with the 700B(?) airport tax. won't be surprised if they raise it next month.

[TheJoker]

To bad this country can't solve his problems another way. Fighting seems the way....

[farangnahrak]

I just saw on TNN this morning an announcement about what is happening to all the mail. It was in Thai so I only understood half of what they said, but this is what I gathered . . .

All international mail has been stopped as the post office does not have access to the airports. It is supposedly being redirected to Singapore and Malaysia, with a backlog of 25,000+ parcels and counting.

I also have a fairly expensive package 'missing' in the mail on its way to BKK, with this as its last location/date:

"International Dispatch, November 25, 2008, 4:16 pm, ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)"

As such I'm under the assumption that computer systems aren't being updated, meaning a recipe for lost and/or extremely delayed mail.

[Danton]

So here we are , almost 72 hours after the start of the closure , and nothing has changed.

This country is doomed .