Suvarnabhumi Airport Cancels All Flights As Protesters Surge Into Terminal

[Maverell]

Unless the protesters go home from Suvarnabhumi airport within the next 24 hours the wheel is going to come off big time. Maybe thats an understatement.

A major international airport cannot be held hostage - the knock on effects will make Thailand a laughing stock of the world ( if its not already ).

So sad.

A friend of mine has just called me from Abu Dhabi - his flight into BKK has been delayed - length of time not known.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Maverell

[amanda76]

Should we be concerned as residents of Phuket?

I only ask because we have infants and toddlers here.

My apologies for not being up to the minute on the current situation, should we be getting out of here?

~a~

[george]

Bangkok airport closed after protesters storm terminal: officials

BANGKOK: --Bangkok's main international airport halted all flight operations on Tuesday after anti-government protesters stormed the departures area, Thai authorities said.

Officials said Suvarnabhumi airport, a key transport hub for millions of travellers in Asia which opened in 2006, could not reopen until demonstrators had left the building.

"I decided to shut down services after the protesters broke the door on the fourth floor of the terminal and stormed into the departure lounge. I had no alternative," airport director Saereerat Prasutanont told government-run NBT television.

"Departure flights cannot operate. I have announced the stoppage of services since 9:00 pm (1400 GMT)," added Saereerat, who is also the acting president of Airports of Thailand.

Asked about arrivals, he replied: "It depends on the control tower. Protesters are at the departure lounge, they are not in the arrival lounge."

However a spokesman for AOL said that all flights had been cancelled.

"Airports of Thailand (AOL) decided to shut down Suvarnabhumi after protesters stormed the terminal. We have already informed the airlines who operate from it," an AOT spokesman told AFP.

"Flights in the air will be diverted to either Chiang Mai, Phuket or other airports, but it closed as of 9:00 pm," the official said, referring to cities in northern and southern Thailand.

At least 2,000 protesters earlier surrounded the airport as part of their six-month campaign to oust the government, which they say is a puppet of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Police Colonel Theeradej Chanurak, a senior police official responsible for the airport, confirmed that protesters had entered the terminal.

"Some of the protesters have entered the terminal buildings. They walked towards it while police tried to stop them but could not do anything as police have received orders not to use any force," Theeradej said.

Airport director Saereerat said the owner of Suvarnabhumi had asked the Thai army chief for assistance because police could not help "but so far there is no response from the army."

"The airport will resume when the protesters retreat but I have no idea when that will be," he added.

--AFP 2008-11-25

[george]

Thai Government Tells Army to Restore Order at Bangkok Airport

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s government called on the military to help restore order at Bangkok’s international airport after demonstrators stormed into the main terminal.

“We are using non-violent measures but we may further step up our actions later,” government spokesman Nattawut Saikuar said today in a telephone interview from Bangkok.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport was closed due to protests. The international airport canceled all departing flights after demonstrators surged into the terminal, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier, thousands of anti-government protesters occupied Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s temporary office, three months after taking over the official Government House compound in central Bangkok.

Anti-government protesters yesterday blockaded parliament, forcing lawmakers to abandon a legislative session, and threatened to confront Somchai at the airport when he returns from an Asia Pacific summit in Peru. The premier has rejected calls for his resignation, and police have avoided clashing with the protesters after an Oct. 7 incident at parliament in which two people died and 470 were injured.

-- Bloomberg 2008-11-25

[h90]

Should we be concerned as residents of Phuket?

I only ask because we have infants and toddlers here.

My apologies for not being up to the minute on the current situation, should we be getting out of here?

~a~

No worry! Not in Phuket. Nothing will happen and specially noone has any bad fellings about foreigner.

[ironhut]

As an ex-Pat living here in BKK, I've been telling my friends and relatives to continue with their plans to visit Thailand...while adding that the Thais are a very passive people. Of course I've also mentioned that the recent non-violent protests have been limited to a 3 km area west of the downtown area.

Tonight's episode (complete with leading BBC, CNN, MSNBC photos and commentary) won't be assuring to any visitors no matter what I or anyone else tries to explain. I'm afraid now that things will get much, much worse before it gets better...very unfortunate.

[Journalist]

I'm relieved I got my family out two months ago.

Looks like the stalemate is broken and we're now rapidly approaching endgame.

[Maverell]

If the army refuse to help free the airport and it remains closed thats the end of the government. Maybe thats the plan. No direct military coup.....

We will see.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Maverell

[C5VETTE]

My father is in the departure level supposed to fly after midnight.

No problem for him to get in to the airport using backroads.

All Airport personnel have left with no information to the thousands of travellers stranded there. TIT

[DTiger]

Just back from the airport... in fact, I should say nearly the airport.... All roads are closed, no way to access, even if some cars/taxi still succeed to leave it.

Good luck for those who had plane tonight or have plane in the next days!!

[jimf]

Just FYI

http://www.ua2go.com/flifo/FlightSummary.d...amp;Check=Check

I had a friend on this flight, its just now departing according to this.... although they have been there all day already waiting on servicing of the aircraft, but they appear to be allowing them to depart.

[wpcoe]

Looks like maybe the airport is open again for (limited) departure operations? www.flightstats.com is showing TG 307 departed for CMB at 1028pm, TG640 departed for NRT at 1053pm, and JL738 departed for NGO at 1102pm.

[bangkokrick]

So the airports are closed and if there is a civil war no farangs can leave. Yes that means me and you. Very sad for Thailand.

Cheers, Rick

[markg]

So the airports are closed and if there is a civil war no farangs can leave. Yes that means me and you. Very sad for Thailand.

Cheers, Rick

Actually Thailand has more then one international airport....................and plenty of land borders.

we can all leave quite easily and safely to Laos or Malaysia.............who frankly must be rubbing their hands in glee.

[Newbie2008]

Looks like maybe the airport is open again for (limited) departure operations? www.flightstats.com is showing TG 307 departed for CMB at 1028pm, TG640 departed for NRT at 1053pm, and JL738 departed for NGO at 1102pm.

This is probably airlines getting their planes out until things calm down, whether they have passengers or not. They also have schedules to keep in other locations

[toptuan]

Now, True Visions, Channel 6 (TPBS) shows scenes of inside the passenger terminal. Police in full riot gear marching among bewildered and haggard/frustrated white tourists clutching their small children close to them.

Great poster material for TAT's future marketing of Thailand.

Edited November 25, 2008 by toptuan

[h90]

Reading: http://www.flightstats.com

everything looks pretty normal.

[george]

Suvarnabhumi airport closes as protesters storm through police lines

BANGKOK: -- Civil aviation authorities in the Thai capital closed Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday night after hundreds of anti-government protesters broke through police lines and flowed into the busy terminal, disrupting airport operations, in an attempt to stop Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from returning to the country.

The premier had attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Peruvian capital of Lima, and is flying from there for home.

Acting Airports of Thailand (AoT) president and Acting Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Serirat Prasutanont announced shortly after 9pm that the airport cancelled all departing flights.

For the time being incoming flights are still arriving, but airport operations have been greatly disrupted.

The airport chief said in a statement that airport authorities had tried to negotiate with the protesters.

Flights out of the airport have to be cancelled temporarily for the safety of passengers, until the situation returned to normal, said Mr.Serirat.

The Government Spokesman Nattawut Saikua announced earlier that the premier, a brother-in-law of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, would return to Thailand via an alternate port of entry, due to the PAD protesters surrounding the airport.

The second day of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)'s latest protests turned violent as PAD protesters opened fire and shot on government supporters on Bangkok's Vibhavadee Road leading to the government's temporary headquarters.

Police said at least ten people were wounded, and several motorcycles torched in the attack.

The key PAD leaders vowed to topple the government by Wednesday.

-- TNA 2008-11-25

[Changkok]

Reading: http://www.flightstats.com

everything looks pretty normal.

Trust me h90 i live close to the airport and the planes are not in the sky.

[george]

No planes out of Suvarnabhumi

BANGKOK: -- Airport authorities closed down Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday night as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) fought with taxi drivers in another step in attempting to topple the government.

Protesters - some masked, some armed with metal rods - broke through police lines and flowed into the busy terminal, disrupting airport operations, in an attempt to stop Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from returning to the country.

PAD demonstrators used cars and trucks to block the only highway with access to the airport.

Acting Airports of Thailand (AoT) president and Acting Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Serirat Prasutanont announced shortly after 9pm that the airport cancelled all departing flights.

For the time being incoming flights are still arriving, but airport operations have been greatly disrupted.

PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul announced at the anti-government stage at Government House that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat must resign without any condition to pay for its guilt in the Oct 7 violence which killed on demonstrator and injured more than 400 people at parliament.

Government Spokesman Nattawut Saikua had announced earlier that the premier, a brother-in-law of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, would return to Thailand via an alternate port of entry.

-- Bangkok Post 2008-11-25

[Newbie2008]

They are coming and going, but are passengers able to make the flights? Aircraft fly almost nonstop on a set schedule, airlines will not ground themselves waiting for passengers when they have other destinations they must get to.

[jfchandler]

I've read every post here, and I can't make sense of the flight arrivals issue...

In one news report recounted here, the AOT dir is saying that ALL arrivals and departures are canceled as of tonight, and arriving flights will be rerouted to Phuket and Chiang Mai. But then it talked about those airports closing at 9 pm, which was about the time the Swampy closure took effect. How do you reroute flights to closed airports???

Then there were other items that talked about flight arrivals at Swampy still occurring tonight...

What the H... is going on out there???

[h90]

Reading: http://www.flightstats.com

everything looks pretty normal.

Trust me h90 i live close to the airport and the planes are not in the sky.

yes I looked again and now it is looking different.

I may clicked somewhere wrong before......

So my posting was wrong.

[yosithezet]

8:30 pm caught taxi at westin. Settled on 500 thb all included.

Headed to Bang na and took toll road and reached bang phli (so said a sign) by 8:54

Hit a police road block after a place called Rajatheva at 9:01

At 9:06 were at Thai Catering in stop and go traffic with some yellow shirts around.

Looking up at highway it is totally blocked with parked cars and yellow shirts wandering around listening to people talking into megaphones or something.

By 9:21 pm was in stop and go traffic passing Thai Control Post 2 some 300 meters from the terminal.

At 9:30 I was in terminal on ground level. Lugged luggage upstairs. Announcements to leave terminal immediately for our own safety. A bunch of riot police in full gear marched through the terminal. Apparently a rush to the doors on level 2. After checking in was asked to go directly through immigration. But what about my VAT refund?

Headed over to VAT refund and they were rushing people through to immigration. They were clearing all the checking counters. The guys ate the VAT refund counters were uneasy. The convenience stores all closed. They were covering the windows of the lost luggage area with newsprint.

Now 10pm and half checkin counters still not checking people in. Reports on TV that the airport is closed per a Thai business partner that just called. He said I should go through already as it isn't safe in his opinion. Went through immigration just in case.

All shops collecting up their valuables and closing except food outlets. VAT refund said just keep for up to three years as they put the cash away. Even the massage places airside are closed.

I'm posting from the TG lounge and my LY flight is boarding. It is now 11:52PM. I'll be heading to the plane shortly.

[esprit]

It is sad news that because of the troulbes in BK this week BA have halted flights to BK for the next 48 hours and could extend this beyond.This also happened to Kenya this year when they had troubles and within a week almost all carriers into Kenya ceased flying there.The damage is still being felt by Kenya with tourism down by 60% year on year.During these tough times all it needs is one carrier or operator to stop going to a destination and the rest follow like lost sheep because the troubles is an ideal excuse because they are not filling flights and are not filling hotels as they planned.

Trust me my travel agent friends this is not good news for those who depend on tourists to make a living from.

Laters

Shakeyd

Strange, BA on their website now are stating that only tonights departing flight from LHR to BKK and tomorrows from SYD to BKK is cancelled. Please provide the link where it states the 48 hr cancellation pls

[werbs]

what a dilema, I have a flight at 7.10 am, do i go to the airport on the off chance flights have resumed or do i stay at home, i will need to leave extra early to get there, the airline telephone is now closed.

i wll go to the airport

[Pappiklon]

I was booked on United Flight to Tokyo at 6.20am, just got a recorded message from the Airline sayings it's cancelled till 11pm tomorrow night, I guess they're hoping Somchai will have landed somewhere else by then and everyone will have gone home.

[macduff]

So can anyone confirm if the airport is open or closed now the dusts settled?

[lennois]

Flight at 7.25 am tomorrow to Malaysia. Can't get hold of anyone. Joke this

[werbs]

"The government is fighting the people"

Funny that, All the Thai people I talk to think PAD are a bunch of cnuts.

Flight at 7.25 am tomorrow to Malaysia. Can't get hold of anyone. Joke this

7.10 am to malaysia here and i can't get hold of anyone either, i will go to the airport though just in case