What Are My Chances?

[CollegeStudent]

Hello,

I have been away studying at a University in the United States for the past 4 years and this was the year I was going to spend my winter break to go visit my mother in Thailand (I am very excited because I have not seen her in 4 years). Upon learning the news that the PAD has taken over Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueng, I felt threatened that I wasn't going to be able to see my mother this year, and would have wasted almost $2000 on the ticket. I am suppose to be landing with Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong on December 14th at 11:55 pm at Suvarnabhumi, have a 6 or 7 hour layover at the airport and then fly out to Chiang Mai on December 15th in the morning. What do you think the chances are that this whole situation will clear out by then? I really would like to see her because it has been so long and have begun formulating plans to maybe call Cathay Pacific to change my ticket and fly to Singapore from Hong Kong and then fly from Singapore to Chiang Mai bypassing Bangkok. This would require me to spend more money, so the original plan seems to be all i've got so all I can do is wait. My mother called me and said that it would be cleared before December 5th because the PAD has high reverence for the King so they would not dare to protest on his birthday. But I just wanted to know what other people think the chances are that this will be over by December 14th.

PS. I told my friends here in the US about the situation and their answer was pretty amusing. From their point of view, they see the PAD (which claims to be for Democracy) as being anti-democratic and they see the PAD as being sore losers. One of my friends said and I quote, "hey, I hate George Bush as much as most of the country, but you don't see me protesting, disrupting the economy, doing sit-ins at airports, etc. Truth of the matter is, no matter who is in charge, there will always be some group that opposes it. That is just how democracy works, majority wins, live with it." I thought it was pretty amusing listening from an un-biased (maybe un-informed? because he was basing his judgement on what I have told him and what he has read in the news) perspective.

[Jingthing]

Your American friends have a simplistic view of the situation; I think you know that.

Anyway, a lot can happen in two weeks. I think you have a fair chance of having an airport to fly into anyway. Good luck for all of us.

That said, your idea of bypassing Bangkok is understandable. Of course, nobody knows; I think you know that.

[old wanderer]

I have been watching this protest quite closely for some months....

OPINION: Your chances are better than 98% of being able to fly in on schedule.

Tell your friends the PAD are not sore losers, they do not run for office.

The PAD just do not have a tolerance for the setting up of a Thaskin dynasty, and his contempt for the Monarchy, the courts, and any thing else that gets in his way of dominating everything in Thailand.

Enjoy your visit home.

[CollegeStudent]

Better than 98% chance is good news indeed, hope you are right.

*From my understanding, my friend's view the PAD as being against the political party of Somchai, which was basically the same as Thaksin. And because the PAD do not like the way the PM and the political party runs things in Thailand for reasons you stated, they decided to protest. Isn't this the same as if you are in the US and you a Democrat and if a Republican president gets voted into office, obviously as a Democrat you don't agree with the way the Republican party runs things, but yet you don't see Democrats in the streets rioting. Excuse my friends if they are wrong, we are so far away from the news there and don't really receive much info. Most of the stuff is about Mumbai.

[britmaveric]

Not sure you will get in unless the situation changes pretty soon. There are reports that things won't be normal until end of Dec now. Remember - its going to take nearly a week to get rid of stranded passengers, clean up the mess the PAD has created, and this includes complete and thorough security sweeps of the airports.

PAD are basically ruining Thailand by their illegal actions - they wish to take the vote away from the majority which happens to be up north and the heart of thailand which is issan simply because they don't like who they vote for. Any rate hopefully the govt will rid themselves of the PAD scum and thuggery sooner rather than later and I hope you are able to get home.