New Fear For Brits Caught In Thailand..

[Boater]

Efforts to repatriate stranded Britons

1 hour 5 mins ago

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Thousands of Britons remain stranded in Thailand as the Foreign Office has vowed to "step up" efforts to repatriate them. Skip related content

Related photos / videos Efforts to repatriate stranded Britons They have been caught in the impasse between protesters and the Government as demonstrators entered their seventh day of occupation of Bangkok's main airports.

Greater numbers of people were now being bussed to airports outside of the capital in a bid to fly them back to the UK, it has been claimed.

But Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell appeared to rule out using government-chartered flights, saying that they would not help people get home any quicker.

Mr Rammell said: "The key issue is the fact the two airports in Bangkok are closed and therefore you've effectively got planes stacking up and not being able to get slots."

The Government has urged Thai authorities, the army and protesters to work together to resolve the crisis quickly.

Demonstrators, members of the People's Alliance for Democracy, accuse the Government of being a puppet of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

They occupied Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport on Tuesday as part of a campaign to force current prime minister Somchai Wongsawat from office. The following day they seized Don Muang airport.

Thai media suggests that as many as 100,000 tourists have been stranded as a result.

And the situation appeared to deteriorate over the weekend with reports of a series of explosions injuring dozens of protesters.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "The situation in Thailand remains tense and we are following events very closely.

"We regret the violence surrounding the protests and have reiterated to the government, the army, the demonstrators, and others in Bangkok, that all parties need to work to resolve the crisis, respecting the rule of law and the country's democratic institutions.

"Bangkok's two main airports remain closed but airlines have been able to arrange flights and transfers to and from alternative airports.

"Some British nationals have been able to fly out but not in the necessary numbers."

He added that British Embassy staff were regularly visiting British nationals stuck in Bangkok and providing consular help such as refreshing supplies of prescription medication.

[G54]

only bought for page 3!

Many more beautiful young ladies here than most of those old dogs shown in that rag 'newspaper'.

And what happened to the bulldog spirit?

Maybe those Brits need 're-educating'??? Transport the PAD to London, to Westminster, to Heathrow and they can do that

Beam 'em up, Scotty!!!!

Edited December 1, 2008 by G54

[banchang]

ahhh the Sun, a good comic. It also explains the alarmist tone.

but the most read newspaper in the UK.... and alot of Thailands would be tourists will be reading

and a lot of them are the kind of tourists Thailand can do without.

The Sun is a traditional Tory newspaper. Why wouldn't they want to have good Maggie supporting blue bloods in Thailand?

I like the photo though, implying that the protesters are balaclavad terrorists a la the IRA.

Not so , It was the Sun /Rupert Murdok that backed Tony Blair Back in the early 90's

[middlesexMDS]

I saw that report!

Nice big hotel room, great view over the city. The ladies were sitting on the nice big sofa with tea and the chap was chatting to their son over the internet phone.

I can sort of understand, we can wish it was us because we're used to the city and likely have family( or house) that we would go back and continue the holiday until flights start again. But if your just on holiday on an unfamiliar country it can't be that much fun really.

[chutai]

ahhh the Sun, a good comic. It also explains the alarmist tone.

but the most read newspaper in the UK.... and alot of Thailands would be tourists will be reading

and a lot of them are the kind of tourists Thailand can do without.

The Sun is a traditional Tory newspaper. Why wouldn't they want to have good Maggie supporting blue bloods in Thailand?

I like the photo though, implying that the protesters are balaclavad terrorists a la the IRA.

Not so , It was the Sun /Rupert Murdok that backed Tony Blair Back in the early 90's

Same difference. Although Blair was slightly further to the right than the Tories.

[Super Hans]

ahhh the Sun, a good comic. It also explains the alarmist tone.

but the most read newspaper in the UK.... and alot of Thailands would be tourists will be reading

and a lot of them are the kind of tourists Thailand can do without.

The Sun is a traditional Tory newspaper. Why wouldn't they want to have good Maggie supporting blue bloods in Thailand?

I like the photo though, implying that the protesters are balaclavad terrorists a la the IRA.

Not so , It was the Sun /Rupert Murdok that backed Tony Blair Back in the early 90's

Same difference. Although Blair was slightly further to the right than the Tories.

Actually, the currant bun only ever backs winners. It would come out in favour of the monster raving loony party if opinion polls pointed to them as the next government. They would say their editors are merely reflecting their readership: the cyncial might think they are whoring their arsecheeks to the masses.

[benjamat]

ahhh the Sun, a good comic. It also explains the alarmist tone.

but the most read newspaper in the UK.... and alot of Thailands would be tourists will be reading

That would be the pot bellied broilers only after the women they cant get at home then.

The bigots who love headlines like "England Sinking" when overall immigration decreases.

[The Philosopher]

DESPERATE British tourists were still trying to get out of Thailand last night as violence flared in the strife-torn country.

boy, that's stretching it a bit, isn't it? i mean, it's not like thailand is nigeria or somalia or the like...

not yet but it sure is trying

[banchang]

ahhh the Sun, a good comic. It also explains the alarmist tone.

but the most read newspaper in the UK.... and alot of Thailands would be tourists will be reading

and a lot of them are the kind of tourists Thailand can do without.

The Sun is a traditional Tory newspaper. Why wouldn't they want to have good Maggie supporting blue bloods in Thailand?

I like the photo though, implying that the protesters are balaclavad terrorists a la the IRA.

Not so , It was the Sun /Rupert Murdok that backed Tony Blair Back in the early 90's

Same difference. Although Blair was slightly further to the right than the Tories.

Actually, the currant bun only ever backs winners. It would come out in favour of the monster raving loony party if opinion polls pointed to them as the next government. They would say their editors are merely reflecting their readership: the cyncial might think they are whoring their arsecheeks to the masses.

Do they back winners or create them?

[ClaytonSeymour]

The one that made me laugh was last night on the BBC were they were inverviewing a couple in their room of an up market hotel obviously in BKK saying they were being held hostage in Thailand, if that was being held hostage...where can I sign up to be held hostage..

It's all good and well receiving paid board & lodgings, but, are their employers back home paying them for the extended vacation? Unlike the protesters, some people do have to go to work you know.

[PhilHarries]

The one that made me laugh was last night on the BBC were they were inverviewing a couple in their room of an up market hotel obviously in BKK saying they were being held hostage in Thailand, if that was being held hostage...where can I sign up to be held hostage..

It's all good and well receiving paid board & lodgings, but, are their employers back home paying them for the extended vacation? Unlike the protesters, some people do have to go to work you know.

Well maybe some would argue that whilst some people have to go to work nobody has to take a vacation.

Okay, I'll get my coat on the way out.

[j_mack]

nothing to fear! JOHN HOWARD put simlar uniformed people on the AUSSI waterfront as security guards several years ago and paid for by the people we voted for. ''we have nothing to fear but the people themselfs'' { CHURCHHILL ?}

[NanLaew]

Threat ... airport rebel in Thailand

Oh no it's not! That's Lek my groundsman at the hunting lodge in Nong Bua. It's bloody cold up in Isaan!

[chutai]

Actually, the currant bun only ever backs winners. It would come out in favour of the monster raving loony party if opinion polls pointed to them as the next government. They would say their editors are merely reflecting their readership: the cyncial might think they are whoring their arsecheeks to the masses.

Do they back winners or create them?

The former. As powerful as tabloid newspapers like the Sun may seem to be, they don't in fact formulate opinions but reinforce existing ones in an often negative way. As Super Hans has already intimated, if they did not reflect the opinions of their readership then they simply wouldn't sell papers. That's not to say that they may not have an influence in voting behaviour (why else would New Labour have courted Murdock's approval with such unashamed betrayal of principle ?) But there have been instances when they have failed to influence the outcome of an election also. It does peoples innate intelligence an injustice to assume that they dance to the piper's every tune. Even as misguided, and sometimes dangerously so, the delusional ideas that people take as being reality.

[NanLaew]

Not quite sure how you arrived at this conclusion, EVA Air are flying to London from U Ta Pao, albeit via a new stop over in Dubai.

Check in is being held at BITEC

EVA Air flight status and check in proceedure

link to the newspaper article

Newspaper link

Boater, fresh from his failed attempts to replace Libya as the prime source of doom & gloom on the Pattaya news forum, now seeks a more professional approach by quoting from that stalwart leader of British fish & chip wrapping 'The Sun.'

As the late Eric Morcambe responded to Richard Baker on 'Desert Island Discs' when asked what 3 things he would take with him if a castaway on a desert isle, "A copy of The Sun, a newspaper and something to read."

[Boater]

Not quite sure how you arrived at this conclusion, EVA Air are flying to London from U Ta Pao, albeit via a new stop over in Dubai.

Check in is being held at BITEC

EVA Air flight status and check in proceedure

link to the newspaper article

Newspaper link

Boater, fresh from his failed attempts to replace Libya as the prime source of doom & gloom on the Pattaya news forum, now seeks a more professional approach by quoting from that stalwart leader of British fish & chip wrapping 'The Sun.'

As the late Eric Morcambe responded to Richard Baker on 'Desert Island Discs' when asked what 3 things he would take with him if a castaway on a desert isle, "A copy of The Sun, a newspaper and something to read."

Boater, fresh from his failed attempts to replace Libya as the prime source of doom & gloom on the Pattaya news forum

i only posted a few times.... not for me

[Mattchu9999]

Wow I cant believe how impatient people are. Utapao is a shining example of Thai's making difficult situations work. I was there when the flights we're first being diverted to Utapao. There must have been 5000 people in that tiny terminal. Not one pissed off expression, everyone clapping when bags showed up from each airline, everyone helping everyone else. Only saw one person having a fit and it was a Britt, not that all Britt's are fit throwers, but how someone can not grasp that this is a time to take a deep breath, smile and just go with the flow....unless the only 3 baggage carts suddenly explode, your going to get threw this just fine....

[simon43]

I have a great idea for a new Khao San scam! Print fake airline tickets/vouchers dated from the 1st day of the airport closure - then claim your 2,000 baht to stay in a reasonable hotel including food and drink!

Repeat each day until the airports reopen (so should be good for a few months?)

Ideal for impoverished teachers who are looking to live in style

Simon

[Boater]

I have a great idea for a new Khao San scam! Print fake airline tickets/vouchers dated from the 1st day of the airport closure - then claim your 2,000 baht to stay in a reasonable hotel including food and drink!

Repeat each day until the airports reopen (so should be good for a few months?)

Ideal for impoverished teachers who are looking to live in style

Simon

great idea lol