The Real Cost

[thedivezone]

Thanks to the actions of the PAD, personally I had a trip to Thailand cancelled and with my refund (no travel insurance will cover me due to civil unrest), I will personally be $1000.00 AUD out of pocket. So thanks <deleted>, your criminal behaviour cost me a holliday.

Whats the cost to you?

How trite.

they were fighting for more than just a freakn holiday!

Oh yes thats right, so sorry, criminal behaviour should be excused because they were "fighting for a cause" its people like you that make these criminals feel validated. Plus my main point of innocent people losing their lives over this incident

Actually, no !

Your main point was the money you lost and only secondary to that did you mention the loss of tourist lives :

Thanks to the actions of the PAD, personally I had a trip to Thailand cancelled and with my refund (no travel insurance will cover me due to civil unrest), I will personally be $1000.00 AUD out of pocket. So thanks <deleted>, your criminal behaviour cost me a holliday.

Secondly there were reportedly 3 tourists that lost their lives on the roads trying to get to other airports, and I bet they (PAD) dont even give a shit, why would they, they were to busy having their temper tantrums.

[Martian]

First off, let me make some comments..then my costs.

I think it is fair for the OP to complain as he has because he was personally affected in a financial way that was of no cause of his own. When people dismiss these types of complaints as "small compared to others' problems" then they are just minimizing the full impact and showing no respect for each individual. Everyone who suffered from the event has a right to complain, no matter how small it might be in another's eyes.

Although I agree that something should be done to eliminate vote buying and corruption in Thailand, breaking the law and using terrorist tactics when other avenues (courts and elections) are available is never justified. Only in a last case scenario such as an oppressive government taking away civil liberties should such tactics be used...and used in a way that it affects innocent bystanders and citizens in the least amount. Thailand showed the world that the country does not respect the rule of law by not confronting PAD in the beginning when they occupied Government House. PAD should be labeled as a terrorist organization and dealt with accordingly. Also, my wife (Thai) says that the leaders are some of the same Yay-hoo's who led many students to their deaths some years ago in a similar uprising......hmmmm....if true, how quickly Thais forget.

Now Costs (US $):

Luckily my wife was booked on a Major US airline which allowed full refunds, even after re-booking once in the hopes it would quickly end.

0$ - cancellation of first one-way ticket USA-BKK (8 weeks before money is returned).

$210 - additional cost in airfare for second one-way USA - Phuket

$45 - hotel in Phuket (instead of family picking up in Bkk and taking home)

$25 - approx cost of Bus ticket from Phuket to our home town (prices gouging).

$15 - meals etc for "extra" travel time from Phuket to hometown

$50 - added cost for food in USA for 5 days as opposed to wife dining in Thailand

$?? - hours and hours of time I spent monitoring the situation AND trying to arrange different itineraries

$350 total IF my wife is lucky enough to get a seat on a bus (was told might have to wait a day)

Can go to over $400 if she has to wait another day before leaving Phuket.

That's quite a bit of money for anyone, especially someone who is unemployed after having had their job taken away after more than 22 years of loyal service.

So, whether you agree with government or not, breaking the law as PAD did is unjustifiable by any reasonable person who respects the rule of law and individual's rights.

Martian