Suvarnabhumi Airport Cancels All Flights As Protesters Surge Into Terminal

[cmsally]

Statistically if you have 3000 people (tourists etc) stranded at the airport , you can probably bet that there will be at least one with a medical condition/needs medication.

If someone gets in a critical condition or god forbid worse, lets see how they worm their way out of that one.

Another martyr for their cause?

Somehow I don't think the foreign press would agree with them.

Edited November 26, 2008 by cmsally

[kmj]

9:30am Just had an email form Emirates saying that my flight EK385 to Dubai 1:05am Friday is still a go... here's hoping

Edited November 26, 2008 by kmj

[MaiTai]

In case you are waiting for friends/family to arrive at the airport...

The best is to call travel co's in town...not in the airport....

my family was on a Thai Airways flight(TG951) scheduled to land at suvarnabhumi airport this morning at 6:55....finallly got the news that the plane was redirected and landed at Don Mueang.

It is my understanding that all/most Thai Airways flights were redirected to Don Mueang...and a few fligths redirected to Hat Yai or ChiangMai

[cmsally]

Just a thought, but at what point do those people stranded in the airport become hostages.

Are they free to come and go, or are they being held there against their will?

But looking at the intransigence of the PAD in other locations looks like they might be there for a while.

Unfortunately some of the egos up there are so enormous they have probably failed to see that the country will just become the laughing stock of the world - well in fact it probably already is.

[Maestro]

Many off-topic posts have been deleted. This topic is about the closure of Suvarnbhumi airport and cancellation of flights due to a demonstration at the airport.

There are other topics running in the forum “News clippings” where people can post their opinions about the political situation, former prime ministers, the collapse of the worls, etc.

--

Maestro

[Baannok]

Will it clear up by tomorrow? I have a flight then. Cannot get hold of AirAsia...

[ekkamai]

Anyone near Suvarnabhumi hear any aircraft activity lately? About 10 minutes ago I heard a plane that seemed to be heading that way.

[Changkok]

Anyone near Suvarnabhumi hear any aircraft activity lately? About 10 minutes ago I heard a plane that seemed to be heading that way.

I live close, I have been awake since 7am and not heard one plane. I usually hear them every 5 mins.

[george]

Bangkok Airways, Thai Air Asia cancel flights

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Airways announced that it canceled 24 domestic and international flights to and from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport Wednesday.

Passengers can call 1771 for more information.

Thai Air Asia said its 28 flights to and from Suvarnabhumi were cancelled. Passengers can dial 02-515-9999 and 02-132-1882 for more information.

-- The Nation 2008-11-26

[Scott]

And think of all the money that those ghost taxi's and touts are losing.

[ekkamai]

Anyone near Suvarnabhumi hear any aircraft activity lately? About 10 minutes ago I heard a plane that seemed to be heading that way.

I live close, I have been awake since 7am and not heard one plane. I usually hear them every 5 mins.

so the site .bangkokairportonline.com/node/129 is complet nonsence as I suspected. Thank you Changkok.

[bubba]

BBC just aired a report on the situation and had a caller on live from inside the airport. Here are some of the comments from him:

- Aircon is off.

- The main Royal Silk lounge has been taken over by PAD and all televisions were airing a "gardening channel". PAD are not allowing any new stations to update passengers on what is going on outside.

- The caller said he and fellow passengers had been moved to a "secure area" and were told it was not safe to leave that area. There is no food and no aircon.

- He was only able to spot seven TG aircraft and one SAS aircraft on the tarmac outside. All other planes have apparently left.

BBC also aired video footage showing huge mobs of PAD, at least one of them injured and bloodied.

This looks like a hostage situation to me now, and not a pleasant one from the BBC caller's report. PAD now have free reign of the airport, including inside security. I think it will be a long time before the airport will be secure enough to resume flights.

Edited November 26, 2008 by bubba

[Thai at Heart]

Just SMS from BKK Post.

Negotiations to get PAD out of SVB fail.

[werbs]

i just drove to don meaung to buy a ticket for nok air to hat yai. My 7.10 am flight to kl was cancelled this morning from swampy.

what was going to be a nice two hour flight followed by a business meeting this evening has now turned into flying to hat yai, then finding a bus for the 10 hour road journet to KL arriving at stupid o'clockand having to meet tomorrow whilst tired.

I have not even contemplated how I will get back yet

PAD crminals and scum

edit to say I saw none of these scum at the domestic terminal at don meaung

Edited November 26, 2008 by werbs

[geriatrickid]

Does anyone have an update on the alleged threats given to checkin staff and aircrew at some of the airlines? I ask because I listened to an interview where the woman said personnel were worried and may refuse to report for work. Also included was the difficulty of ingress/egress from the airport so that staff and flight crews were unable to report even if they wanted. All of the western airlines have collective agreements that allow personnel to refuse to work in areas deemed to present a significant threat to their safety. Is it possible that some airlines may refuse to fly to BKK for a period of time until the security issue is fixed?

Just wondering based on the interview, not saying it will happen.

[bubba]

Just received this news alert SMS from Nation:

"Talks for PAD to unlock Suvarnabhumi failed. 24 flights of Bangkok Airways cancelled. Govt spokesman demands police, army to take quick action to disprese PAD"

So if PAD control the tower, who is going to give "clear to land" for Somchai's flight?

Edited November 26, 2008 by bubba

[Changkok]

If the BBC reports are true they have turned the aircon off then things might get a bit heated, excuse the pun

[cmsally]

Interesting account from a passenger stranded in Suwann. Airport on BBC World just now.

Apparently PAD said people were free to leave the airport, but with no transport a bit of a no brainer. They also said that anyone leaving the airport would not be allowed back in and they couldn't guarantee it was safe. So if you scouted outside and found no way of exit through the external protesters you would be effectively stuck in limbo not safe land on the outside of the building.

Apparently the PAD in the building were persuading (read: forcing and bribing) people all to congregate in an open area on the bottom level. This area is apparently very open and this is the only area the PAD have allowed any food and water into (supposedly, as the guy hasn't seen it but was told by the PAD). This area also only has a bare marble floor, not exactly comfortable.

The guy speaking said he was in an executive lounge (with some other passengers) which he felt was far safer than the open area proposed. However they had no food and when they refused to move PAD turned off the A/C so getting rather hot.

All TV channels apparently fixed to a gardening programme so no one can watch news and all Wifi/internet connections disabled.

I'm afraid anyone listening to that interview, distinctly gets the impression that they are more or less hostages.

(I posted same time as Bubba, its the same interview.)

Edited November 26, 2008 by cmsally

[bubba]

This one just released from PAD's media mouthpiece:

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1010790

The People's Alliance for Democracy allowed an Iran Air leaving for Mecca to depart the Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11.10 a.m. this morning.

The 420 passengers on the Mecca-bound flight had negotiated with the PAD leaders. They requested that the flight be allowed to leave so they could perform the Haj.

The flight was the last flight to have been permitted to leave the airport.

I suppose this means that PAD now controls arrivals and departures, and it would seem reasonable that they are now occupying the tower.

[scratt]

Most of the people in this thread, and both the Government and the PAD need their heads knocking together.

This will continue until *after* the PM returns. Then it will stop.

The only other possible outcome is bloodshed in the airport, which will close it through the weekend.

Other than that it will be business as usual next week, and certainly by next weekend.

Some of you need to stop winding each other up, and perhaps spend less time in bars drinking and fantasizing.

Edited November 26, 2008 by scratt

[wasabi]

I wonder what will happen to people's who's visas have expired but can't get out of the country and other legal quagmires this is creating. But the PAD have no reason to stop it must be great fun to riot without repercussions. This will become more and more like Animal Farm with the pigs calling the shots.

[QED]

Does anyone have an update on the alleged threats given to checkin staff and aircrew at some of the airlines? I ask because I listened to an interview where the woman said personnel were worried and may refuse to report for work. Also included was the difficulty of ingress/egress from the airport so that staff and flight crews were unable to report even if they wanted. All of the western airlines have collective agreements that allow personnel to refuse to work in areas deemed to present a significant threat to their safety. Is it possible that some airlines may refuse to fly to BKK for a period of time until the security issue is fixed?

Just wondering based on the interview, not saying it will happen.

BA have already cancelled all flights, it's only a matter of time before others follow.

[imafaranggetmeoutofhere]

Reports have come in that at 6 am, the special operations 'Arintaraj' force of the police opened fire onto a group of PAD volunteer guards, injuring two. The police also shot at a six-wheeled truck that was transporting necessities to the PAD rally at the airport. Shots were seen originating from the Thai Airways International canteen

fair play

[george]

Blasts hit Bangkok's airports

BANGKOK: -- Blasts at two Bangkok airports wounded four people early Wednesday, triggering the closure of the main international airport, authorities said.

The explosions come a day after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the airports to protest the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from the APEC summit in Peru.

One blast occurred at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 5 a.m. (2200 Tuesday GMT), an airport official said. One person was wounded in that attack.

Continued protests caused authorities to cancel all incoming and outgoing flights there, an assistant to airport director Serirat Prasutanond told CNN.

The other blast occurred at 6:40 a.m. Wednesday (2340 Tuesday GMT) at the Don Muang International Airport, wounding three people, police said.

Suvarnabhumi Airport later canceled all flights, The Associated Press reported.

On Tuesday thousands of anti-government protesters partially shut down Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country's main airport, an airport spokesman said.

Pro- and anti-government protesters also exchanged gunfire, a Thai police official said. Protesters with golf clubs and long wooden sticks also clashed with airport taxi drivers, with each side throwing things at the other.

The clash started when the anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) was mobilizing supporters near the Don Muang airport, which the government is using as its temporary office. iReport.com: Are you there? Send pics, video

The PAD ran into a pro-government group, resulting in an exchange of abusive words, and the pro-government group threw rocks into the PAD crowd prompting an exchange of gunfire, the police official said.

-- CNN 2008-11-26

[C5VETTE]

Latest information from Thai Airways (on phone) is that none of their flights are cancelled, only delayed until further notice. Call back after 1200.

Thai passengers in the check in hall were told last night that they will get information at 0700. no information given until around 1030 when they said that they will try to arrange busses to hotels.

They were given some water and food around 0300. Nothing since then.

Big rally going on outside the doors.

[Thai at Heart]

Just spoke to travel agent. Thai cannot guarantee international departure tomorrow or Friday. At moment Saturday is planning to be as scheduled.

[bubba]

Back on the front page of CNN's site:

Blasts hit Bangkok's airports

Blasts at Bangkok's two main airports wounded four people early Wednesday, authorities said. Suvarnabhumi Airport later canceled all flights, The Associated Press reported. The explosions come a day after anti-government protesters stormed the airports to protest the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from the APEC summit in Peru

Edited November 26, 2008 by bubba

[george]

Update:

Bombs rock Bangkok; PAD occupies Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK: -- Small explosions rocked several sites in Bangkok, while reinforcements for the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters marched to more completely occupy Suvarnabhumi Airport overnight Tuesday, forcing the Airports of Thailand (AoT) to halt all inbound and outbound flights.

The PAD's latest move was another step to put intensified pressure against the Somchai government to resign after the People's Alliance occupied Government House in late August to protest against a government it claimed was simply a nominee of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinwatra. The PAD also opposed the government's plan to amend the Constitution.

PAD leaders said they would continue to force the airport to remain shut down until talks with the government take place, saying that negotiations would only be held between the PAD and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat himself.

Mr. Somchai is returning from Peru where he attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, and was scheduled to arrive in Thailand Wednesday evening.

Interior Minister Pol.Gen. Kovit Wattana said the prime minister has been informed of the Suvarnabhumi incident and that he acted to avoid confrontation with PAD protesters by directing Mr. Somchai's flight to land at another airport outside Bangkok instead of Suvarnabhumi.

Meanwhile, a bomb exploded at the airport terminal, injuring three people slightly.

Another explosion took place near Dusit Bridge about 50 metres from Dusit Police Station on Rama V Road at about 2am, but no casualties were reported Police initially said the Dusit explosion was that of an M26 military-issue hand grenade and that the bridge received minor damage. Some 50 metres from the bomb site, police found the bomb trigger.

Witnesses saw a motorcycle pass by before the explosion, and that it returned to the scene before leaving.

Police were monitoring closed circuit television footage to attempt to identify suspects.

Another bomb exploded at Don Mueang Airport which the PAD had surrounded to prevent the cabinet from meeting Tuesday. At, at least five persons were wounded, one seriously.

The blast occurred some 200 metres from the PAD's mobile stage where its leaders took turns on stage to verbally attack the government.

Another bomb, not activated, was found nearby.

The PAD did not permit police to investigate the incident but was waiting for its own bomb squad.

An initial evaluation by airport officials showed Bt50 million in income lost from fees -- including landing charges -- had occurred from Suvarnabhumi .

Several Thai Airways International (THAI) flights were diverted to Don Mueang Airport, but the passenger transfers were difficult. Many passengers waiting for up to three hours to disembark from arriving aircraft because of the lack of facilities.

Airport and airline authorities were meeting to find measures to resolve the problems.

-- TNA 2008-11-26

[Hawkup2000]

I know two guys who are stranded at Swampy. They arrived on visa on arrival 30 days ago. They are on their first day of overstay now. Will be interesting to see if they have to pay for the overstay.

[dave111223]

On another note; Do you think this will affect Outgoing/Incoming International Mail?