Tourists Stranded In Pattaya Wonder When The Bangkok Protests Will End.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Tourists stranded in Pattaya wonder when the Bangkok protests will end.

Because of the Airport closures in Bangkok, thousands of foreign tourists are stranded here in Thailand. Many have come to Pattaya to wait for news regarding their flights. Many are angry, some have resigned themselves to the fact they are stuck here and are making the most of their extended holidays. It is clear that whenever the PAD protests at the airports come to an end, there will not be an immediate re-opening as security at both airports have been breached and damage has been caused. There were reports of some International Journalists walking onto the tarmac and up to parked planes with no signs of any security in place. Everyone is now wondering what the next move will be as the Army appear not to support the idea of using force to disperse the protesters and the Police have also claimed they will not use force. Some tourists are running out of money and others now have expired visas. Tourists with expired visas should make their way to the Immigration Office located in Soi 5 off Jomtien Beach Road where we understand that if evidence is produced to confirm they have been forced to remain here because of the problems, free visa extensions will be given. Many are hoping that the nearby Utapao Military Airport in Sattahip will be used for international flights, however due to the size of the airport it is unlikely that regular international flights will be possible. If you require urgent repatriation you must contact your Embassy who will listen to your case and make a judgment if an urgent evacuation from Thailand is required. Other options such as travelling to Cambodia or Laos by road are also being considered by some Tourists at this time.

Pattaya One News

Friday 28th November 2008.

[NanLaew]

Tourists stranded in Pattaya wonder when the Bangkok protests will end.

Look mum! PAD hostages!!!

[samuibeachcomber]

Tourists stranded in Pattaya wonder when the Bangkok protests will end.

Look mum! PAD hostages!!!

its a tough life!

[Kerryd]

Tourists stranded in Pattaya wonder when the Bangkok protests will end.

Look mum! PAD hostages!!!

its a tough life!

Can I be a hostage in Pattaya too ? Sure beats being a free man here in Kandahar (though I suspect it's cheaper here) !

[ace]

Tourists stranded in Pattaya wonder when the Bangkok protests will end.

Look mum! PAD hostages!!!

Think they shot one !

Wishing I was trapped in Pattya..............

[v2drinkers]

Its the new Thai way of keeping the numbers of tourists up this season - Dont let them go home.

[offset]

Most people that I know that are delayed in Pattaya are quite happy and now they have been promise 2000B a day I think that they will be even happier

[MeetJohnDoe]

While some people might not have an aversion to being "stuck" in Pattaya for the duration, there are many others who definitely need to return home for personal or business reasons. I have friends and have met others who have job and family responsibilities to attend to and the delay in leaving is costing them both financial and emotional hardship. Many people have already lost jobs and job offers because of the inability to report for job assignments. Also, there are tourists who are in real financial stress having to spend funds for at least a week already beyond their budgeted length of stay in Thailand.

It's not all sun in the fun for these folks.

[sendbaht]

"It's not all sun in the fun for these folks."

I'm sure it's not. I remember when I used to come here in the 80s The end of my stay I'd have just enough money for the taxi ride to the airport and a return airline ticket home, that was before ATMs. Even then I would not have had any in a ATM to withdraw. I'm sure some folks are really hurting, sad really.

[Kerryd]

"It's not all sun in the fun for these folks."

I'm sure it's not. I remember when I used to come here in the 80s The end of my stay I'd have just enough money for the taxi ride to the airport and a return airline ticket home, that was before ATMs. Even then I would not have had any in a ATM to withdraw. I'm sure some folks are really hurting, sad really.

Been there, done that, would have sold the t-shirt if it would have helped !

That was on my first trip back in '93. No credit card/ATM. Got to the airport way too early, spent my last hundred baht on snacks and reading material. Then found out about the "departure tax".

No money (none that the exchange booths would take. All I had left was Hungarian Forints and Croatian Dinars at the time). Didn't even have enough to make a phone call to the embassy (not that-that would have helped).

I was saved by the kindness of a stranger who paid my departure tax just to speed things up. I offered to repay him in Frankfurt but he declined, and wouldn't accept any Hungarian currency either.

Then the plane was delayed (engine problems, after we had already boarded). If the flight had of been cancelled or delayed for a longer period, I would have been screwed. I didn't even have anything worth pawning off. Lufthansa would have probably taken care of us though, but if a situation like the current one had arose and the airport closed ?

Luckily these days most people have credit cards/ATM cards, although some may have maxed out their limits. I travel prepared these days and always have enough for "contingencies". Even now I have enough on me to get out of Afghanistan, spend a night or two in Dubai, and then get from there to home, without relying on plastic. But that is a lesson learned though experience.

I'd say many of those stranded are learning that lesson the hard way right now.

[robee]

"It's not all sun in the fun for these folks."

I'm sure it's not. I remember when I used to come here in the 80s The end of my stay I'd have just enough money for the taxi ride to the airport and a return airline ticket home, that was before ATMs. Even then I would not have had any in a ATM to withdraw. I'm sure some folks are really hurting, sad really.

Been there, done that, would have sold the t-shirt if it would have helped !

That was on my first trip back in '93. No credit card/ATM. Got to the airport way too early, spent my last hundred baht on snacks and reading material. Then found out about the "departure tax".

No money (none that the exchange booths would take. All I had left was Hungarian Forints and Croatian Dinars at the time). Didn't even have enough to make a phone call to the embassy (not that-that would have helped).

I was saved by the kindness of a stranger who paid my departure tax just to speed things up. I offered to repay him in Frankfurt but he declined, and wouldn't accept any Hungarian currency either.

Then the plane was delayed (engine problems, after we had already boarded). If the flight had of been cancelled or delayed for a longer period, I would have been screwed. I didn't even have anything worth pawning off. Lufthansa would have probably taken care of us though, but if a situation like the current one had arose and the airport closed ?

Luckily these days most people have credit cards/ATM cards, although some may have maxed out their limits. I travel prepared these days and always have enough for "contingencies". Even now I have enough on me to get out of Afghanistan, spend a night or two in Dubai, and then get from there to home, without relying on plastic. But that is a lesson learned though experience.

I'd say many of those stranded are learning that lesson the hard way right now.

did same thing my first trip, as traveled with friend here he stayed and i had to go back for business. i was broke and never know i had to pay to leave.

feel empathy for those at airport. not for those on both side of the political fence.

[neverdie]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

[robee]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

no bandaides, how did you survive?

[LennyW]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Bet you used to eat cold gravel too!!

[hughden]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Luxury....

[Kerryd]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Wussy !

We used to have to do the same, only we had over 5 feet of snow, -20 (Celcius) temperatures and packs of ravenous wolves to deal with ! Ahh poor Jenny-Sue. My little sister never had much of a chance. First year of school she got ate by them wolves. She never could run as fast as the rest of us, especially on one gimpy leg. Funny, I seem to recall at one time having about 5 brothers and sisters, and there were only 3-4 wolves. By the time I graduated, I had no brothers or sisters, but them wolves, there must of been 10-12 or more !

One time a wolf ate my homework. Teacher wouldn't believe me so I had to track that sucker down, kill him and drag him back to class to show the teacher. She still gave me a "D" (my writing wasn't legible due to the blood and being in the wolf's stomache).

I was (privately) glad when a bear ate her one day.

But then old Ms McGillvary took over. She was meaner than a momma bear protecting her cubs ! She would hand out test papers with an "F" already on them ! Try explaining to your parents (while they be whipping yer bum with a piece of barbed wire) that you failed the test before you even saw it !

One year little Tommy got lucky. While most of the wolves were tearing into some new kid, one went after Tommy. He had peed his pants when the wolves first attacked, and it had dribbled down and froze on his feet. When the wolf went to bite him, Tommy kicked out with that frozen foot and nailed him square in the head ! Dropped him deader than a door nail !

We grabbed it and dragged it off to school and had our first school lunch ! (For most of us, that was the first time we had ever tasted meat, or had hot food !).

Ah yes, those were the days !

[thaimate]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Wussy !

We used to have to do the same, only we had over 5 feet of snow, -20 (Celcius) temperatures and packs of ravenous wolves to deal with ! Ahh poor Jenny-Sue. My little sister never had much of a chance. First year of school she got ate by them wolves. She never could run as fast as the rest of us, especially on one gimpy leg. Funny, I seem to recall at one time having about 5 brothers and sisters, and there were only 3-4 wolves. By the time I graduated, I had no brothers or sisters, but them wolves, there must of been 10-12 or more !

One time a wolf ate my homework. Teacher wouldn't believe me so I had to track that sucker down, kill him and drag him back to class to show the teacher. She still gave me a "D" (my writing wasn't legible due to the blood and being in the wolf's stomache).

I was (privately) glad when a bear ate her one day.

But then old Ms McGillvary took over. She was meaner than a momma bear protecting her cubs ! She would hand out test papers with an "F" already on them ! Try explaining to your parents (while they be whipping yer bum with a piece of barbed wire) that you failed the test before you even saw it !

One year little Tommy got lucky. While most of the wolves were tearing into some new kid, one went after Tommy. He had peed his pants when the wolves first attacked, and it had dribbled down and froze on his feet. When the wolf went to bite him, Tommy kicked out with that frozen foot and nailed him square in the head ! Dropped him deader than a door nail !

We grabbed it and dragged it off to school and had our first school lunch ! (For most of us, that was the first time we had ever tasted meat, or had hot food !).

Ah yes, those were the days !

GOD,didnt you have it easy,now me---!!!!!!

[neverdie]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Wussy !

We used to have to do the same, only we had over 5 feet of snow, -20 (Celcius) temperatures and packs of ravenous wolves to deal with ! Ahh poor Jenny-Sue. My little sister never had much of a chance. First year of school she got ate by them wolves. She never could run as fast as the rest of us, especially on one gimpy leg. Funny, I seem to recall at one time having about 5 brothers and sisters, and there were only 3-4 wolves. By the time I graduated, I had no brothers or sisters, but them wolves, there must of been 10-12 or more !

One time a wolf ate my homework. Teacher wouldn't believe me so I had to track that sucker down, kill him and drag him back to class to show the teacher. She still gave me a "D" (my writing wasn't legible due to the blood and being in the wolf's stomache).

I was (privately) glad when a bear ate her one day.

But then old Ms McGillvary took over. She was meaner than a momma bear protecting her cubs ! She would hand out test papers with an "F" already on them ! Try explaining to your parents (while they be whipping yer bum with a piece of barbed wire) that you failed the test before you even saw it !

One year little Tommy got lucky. While most of the wolves were tearing into some new kid, one went after Tommy. He had peed his pants when the wolves first attacked, and it had dribbled down and froze on his feet. When the wolf went to bite him, Tommy kicked out with that frozen foot and nailed him square in the head ! Dropped him deader than a door nail !

We grabbed it and dragged it off to school and had our first school lunch ! (For most of us, that was the first time we had ever tasted meat, or had hot food !).

Ah yes, those were the days !

theres a little bit of a rumour circulating about you....that you actually enjoyed those beatings with the barbed wire on ur backside and you have developed a bit of a fetish for it

[alstaxi]

....when i was a boy I use to ride by bicycle 25miles to school, back then bicycles didnt have round wheels they had square ones, no gears, the seat was made from timber, then one day someone stole the bicycle, so i had to walk 25 miles to school and 25 miles home each day and my family couldnt afford shoes, so i was barefoot and the country was poor too, we didnt have paved roads and my feet grew blisters from walking on the rocks but we didnt have bandaids back then and the blisters becaume infected so we had to cut my feet off, back then we didnt have electric saws so we had to use a rusty old timber saw, ohh did i mention back then we didnt have prosthetic limbs so I used a branch from a tree......ahhh them were the days!

Luxury....

you don't mention if the 25 miles were uphill?? both ways??

[Kerryd]

theres a little bit of a rumour circulating about you....that you actually enjoyed those beatings with the barbed wire on ur backside and you have developed a bit of a fetish for it

Sticks and stones may break my bones.

But whips and chains excite me !!

[dotcom]

3 words for ya

BUS

TO

MALAYSIA

or call mommie collect & ask her what you should do.