Suvarnabhumi Siege Ends, Airport To Open Friday

[misterman21]

The airport may open but how many of the airlines are going to want to fly into a airport under the threat of being closed down again?

Good point! It will be very interesting to see what happens in the next few day or so. I hope for all our sakes the other airline companies just write this off as an aberration and not part of the usual entertainment!

Just spoke with a friend that works in the Airline Industry. Told me that many carriers are considering suspending - indefinatley - all flights into Thailnd once their nationals are repatriated.

Thailand is only one more mobbed airport from being declaired a failed state by the US

[george]

Garuda Indonesia UPDATE:

As you may well aware that Suvarnbhumi Airport closure and to restart the

airport is still indefinite. In order to accom stranded passengers to/from

Jakarta, hence, we would like to inform that GA will be operating special flight

Jakarta-U-Tapao v.v. as follows:

GA866/ 4DEC CGKBKK ( U-Tapao ) 21.20-00.50+1

GA867/ 5DEC BKKCGK 01.50-05.30

18.00-20.00 Proceed to TG check-in counter at Bi-Tech Bangna for GA 867

Check-bag & Immigration process

20.30-23.00 Bus departs Bi-Tech for U-Tapao

0150-0530 Departs U-tapao ( GA867)

Please do not proceed directly to U-Tapao Airport as its limited facilities.

--Garuda 2008-12-03

[CHARLES1949]

i hope things get back to normal at the airport get back to normal as soon as possible. i have several friends stranded in bkk.

[huggybear]

Hi Everyone,

I've been watching these threads over the past few days and enjoyed seeing everyone's opinions on what has been happening.

I'm worried though as I have a flight to BKK on Monday (8th December) that is due to land at BKK on Tuesday 9th December. It is with Etihad Airways.

Can anyone give me your opinion on whether or not you think it will go ahead or not? I'd still really like to visit Thailand despite all that has gone on.

My travel agent has said that they won't know until at least Friday whether or not it has been cancelled or not.

Thanks,

Jon.

Hi Jon,

from what we are hearing here, they think they will have things up and running by Friday. That should still give you a few days cushion, as I don't believe all will be completely normal on Friday.

In my opinion, you're o.k. Get over here and enjoy Thailand.

[TAWP]

The damage has been done though. Today, despite the ending of the siege etc etc, the Australian Government has advised its citizens to "RECONSIDER YOUR NEED TO TRAVEL" to Thailand.

Upto today, the warning was just for Bangkok, but now it's been updated to include the WHOLE COUNTRY!

More mass hotel cancellations coming......

I just read in the Swedish news that not many Swedes have canceled their trip to Thailand over Christmas. Maybe it won't be as bad after all...

If someone wants it translated it might be arranged, but basically an article in Sweden's largest morning paper said that weather in the region was of a bigger consearn that anything else and that people are still going to travel to 'their favorite destination Thailand'. (In the 80ies it was Mallorca outside Spain.)

[sbk]

Still the same page and I must reiterate, keep it on topic, please. If not, your post will be deleted without any notification as to why.

[termad]

Great news. Get the airports open 100% for business. Lots of catching up to do.

Need my FedEx shipments too.

I've been trying to get an aprox date when Reg Air Mail and Air Mail will restart but Thai Post Office don't know.

Anybody else chased the Post Office?

[TAWP]

Just spoke with a friend that works in the Airline Industry. Told me that many carriers are considering suspending - indefinatley - all flights into Thailnd once their nationals are repatriated.

Thailand is only one more mobbed airport from being declaired a failed state by the US

This doesn't sound credible at all.

First of all, the airline industry flies where people want to go. Not the other way around. They are in the business of making money, not political statements.

Second of all, Thailand be declared a failed state by the US is just pure humor.

[jonaz]

Hi Everyone,

I've been watching these threads over the past few days and enjoyed seeing everyone's opinions on what has been happening.

I'm worried though as I have a flight to BKK on Monday (8th December) that is due to land at BKK on Tuesday 9th December. It is with Etihad Airways.

Can anyone give me your opinion on whether or not you think it will go ahead or not? I'd still really like to visit Thailand despite all that has gone on.

My travel agent has said that they won't know until at least Friday whether or not it has been cancelled or not.

Thanks,

Jon.

Hi Jon,

from what we are hearing here, they think they will have things up and running by Friday. That should still give you a few days cushion, as I don't believe all will be completely normal on Friday.

In my opinion, you're o.k. Get over here and enjoy Thailand.

Great! I Hope you're right. Thanks for your replies everyone!

[siddv]

Anybody have any information regarding other International carriers leaving BKK. I am booked on a flight on China Airlines from BKK to Taipei with SFO the ultimate destination. I visited the CA office and they rebooked through CM. However now not sure if I still have to make my way up to CM Saturday night or can rest easy and leave from Suv. Anybody know when other international carriers will resume normal flights? Do various international agencies have to sign off on security issues before any "non Thai" airlines resume regular flight operations.

[stingray]

The airport may open but how many of the airlines are going to want to fly into a airport under the threat of being closed down again?

Thats correct! LTU and many other german travel companies don't sell any air ticket to Thailand. They not want to responsabile if things like this happen again. Instead of Thailand they try to sell other Holidays to Carribbean island, Phillis or even Cambodia. This High Season is gone!!! I hope some peaple here will learn to understand that there is not only Thailand as a Tourist Destination in this world.

[MILT]

The airport may open but how many of the airlines are going to want to fly into a airport under the threat of being closed down again?

Regarding your quote:

It will not be closed again, PAD will disband just like they did after Thaksin was ousted out. They don't seek governing power, they seek to take out the corrupt people in power, and more importantly, to protect our King.

For the rest:

A lot of you seem to always have a negative opinion for each actions done by these people but you all fail to take a step back and look at the situation as a whole. This is more than a decade old issue going on... For crying out loud, study your facts and look at the long term benefit for this country, not just how it will affect you and your holiday... As if you westerners never had civil wars or public disobedience... Do a research on your history and stop being hypocrites!

My thoughts as well.

[Liquid0Li]

We are at Kuala Lampur airport ,were just about to board flight to Utapao..

Just been told that the plane is being re-routed to Bangkok.

We are the first Intlernational flight into Bangkok

can't wait

Edited December 3, 2008 by Liquid0Li

[karazyal]

That a good thing but I imagine it will take certainly more than a week to reopen the passengers' traffic!

May be re-open for Xmas!

I hope the airport is up and running before the 12th ,my family and I are due to fly out from Chiang mai to uk via bangkok and I m so desperate to get home ,have not been back for 1 year and my brother is getting married , I need to go to a very important hospital appointment and all the family are coming to see us for our son s 4th birthday. I m not happy at all and all the airlines keep saying is the flights are not cancelled for that day but then I keep reading reports that the airport won t be up and running until at least the 15th . Anyone got any advice

IF I were YOU and i had to get somewhere and they have said it will not be fully operational till the 15th>>>> use your head and make alternative bookings and take the train to KL or sing and fly out.

If you paid the first ticket by cc claim a refund

I knw it will porbaly cost ya more but u said you HAVE to be somewhere.

No one knows what will happen in the next few days

Last Thursday I left on the night train from Bangkok and arrived in Hat Yai the next day. Got a shared van ride over to the Thai - Malaysia border and then a taxi from there to Butterworth. From Butterworth I booked a train to Singapore (via KL) and arrived in Singapore around 10 PM Saturday night. Went directly to the airport and flew out the following morning for the US. My "out of pocket" expenses came to around 120 dollars US. This included one hotel in Butterworth. NWA just transferred the accounting data to pay for the flight from Singapore on one of their other flights. Before I left Bangkok I made sure that I had a reserved seat on the flight from Singapore and at no extra charge.

It was a lot of train travel but I had to be at an important meeting on Tuesday. I left Bangkok on late Friday and was back in my hometown just before midnight Sunday in the US. If you do this run have a long sleeve shirt available, like some of the long distance buses the trains I was on were pretty cold. Had to take the regular seats from Bangkok, sleepers were fully booked. In Butterworth I could get a first class seat all the way through to Singapore (127 M ringgits.) Some of the train tracks in Thailand looked like they could be flooded - lots of water around. One hour difference in time between Thai time and Malaysia time.

Good luck.

[ozzieovaseas]

i hope things get back to normal at the airport get back to normal as soon as possible. i have several friends stranded in bkk.

I can think of lot of worse places to be stranded at...iraq maybe..or mumbai

[BigSnake]

What a mess for the Clean-up Crew, Oh! well the PAD people are TAX payer to so it will also come out of their pockets. No doubt many many visitors will have second thought about visiting the Land of Smile

[martin81]

I just read that SAS is flying to Suvarnabhumi from tomorrow 04dec landing on 5dec, so the airport must be open for business then.

[fft100]

It is all very easy for singles to get out of the country via the train (though it is 36 hours from bkk to kl) assuming the flooding has stopped at hat yai (which it hasnt , that is why the above poster took more than 48 hours), but a large percentage of the people stuck in Thailand are families.

Have you ever tried moving a baby or young children around like many of you are assuming ? I dont think so !

Firstly the costs are obviously larger (2 adults + child) then you have all the problems of food, toilets, waiting around, etc.

Thailand as a family destination - which is what it has tried to push itself as for the last few year - is dead for years.

Thailand as a single mans playground - which is what thailand has tried to stop / change - is now the main/only game in town.

They have shot themselves in the foot / arm / leg / everywhere

Edited December 3, 2008 by fft100

[Goldtown23]

The damage has been done though. Today, despite the ending of the siege etc etc, the Australian Government has advised its citizens to "RECONSIDER YOUR NEED TO TRAVEL" to Thailand.

Upto today, the warning was just for Bangkok, but now it's been updated to include the WHOLE COUNTRY!

More mass hotel cancellations coming......

After visiting Thailand,as regular visitors,since 1991,when again,theirwere demonstrations in Bangkok,about who knows what,this last fiasco has finished us.We feel for the thousands who have been stranded at the airport,who also,will never return,plus,all the negative feedback,from these people.Thankfully,we never invested in Thailand.Far too volotile.Like an offshoot of Wall Street!!Sadly,after all these years,we will look elsewhere

[animatic]

It is all very easy for singles to get out of the country via the train (though it is 36 hours from bkk to kl) assuming the flooding has stopped at hat yai (which it hasnt , that is why the above poster took more than 48 hours), but a large percentage of the people stuck in Thailand are families.

Have you ever tried moving a baby or young children around like many of you are assuming ? I dont think so !

Firstly the costs are obviously larger (2 adults + child) then you have all the problems of food, toilets, waiting around, etc.

Thailand as a family destination - which is what it has tried to push itself as for the last few year - is dead for years.

Thailand as a single mans playground - which is what thailand has tried to stop / change - is now the main/only game in town.

They have shot themselves in the foot / arm / leg / everywhere

No sure were this comes from.

I spent last night in Hat Yai.

Wife and I drove on all 4 quadrants surrounding the town, and saw NO SIGN of flooding.

Edited December 3, 2008 by animatic

[animatic]

The airport may open but how many of the airlines are going to want to fly into a airport under the threat of being closed down again?

Regarding your quote:

It will not be closed again, PAD will disband just like they did after Thaksin was ousted out. They don't seek governing power, they seek to take out the corrupt people in power, and more importantly, to protect our King.

For the rest:

A lot of you seem to always have a negative opinion for each actions done by these people but you all fail to take a step back and look at the situation as a whole. This is more than a decade old issue going on... For crying out loud, study your facts and look at the long term benefit for this country, not just how it will affect you and your holiday... As if you westerners never had civil wars or public disobedience... Do a research on your history and stop being hypocrites!

My thoughts as well.

I have had similar thoughts. This started long before most of us have been coming around these parts.

Many of the seeds of this cock-up were planted well BEFORE 1997, and are only bearing fruit now.

We are barely seeing the tip of a giant iceberg.

[peter48]

It is all very easy for singles to get out of the country via the train (though it is 36 hours from bkk to kl) assuming the flooding has stopped at hat yai (which it hasnt , that is why the above poster took more than 48 hours), but a large percentage of the people stuck in Thailand are families.

Have you ever tried moving a baby or young children around like many of you are assuming ? I dont think so !

Firstly the costs are obviously larger (2 adults + child) then you have all the problems of food, toilets, waiting around, etc.

Thailand as a family destination - which is what it has tried to push itself as for the last few year - is dead for years.

Thailand as a single mans playground - which is what thailand has tried to stop / change - is now the main/only game in town.

They have shot themselves in the foot / arm / leg / everywhere

Very good comments above and a really , really sad day for Thailand as it sinks from being one of the UK's favourite long haul holidays with the UK FOREIGN OFFICE NOT RECOMMENDING TRAVEL to the troubled country of Thailand

Edited December 3, 2008 by peter48

[annabel]

Let's all hope that whoever is in charge of Thailand now arranges immediately some sort of security measures to prevent the PAD or any other mob from entering the airports. Immediately, I mean 10.01am !!

My thoughts entirely !!!! Would like to see a large number of troops at the airport immediately with all approach roads sealed off and real security enforced.

I accept that troops at such places dont look good to the average Joe, but in these times a necessity I fear

I absolutely agree !!! They need to immediately put some very strong reinforcement there so that no other mob can come in and take over and cause the hardships this has of which we are all bearing the brunt right now .... BUT ,.... WHO will instruct that since we have no government rite now ... ...the court ....???

[peter48]

It is all very easy for singles to get out of the country via the train (though it is 36 hours from bkk to kl) assuming the flooding has stopped at hat yai (which it hasnt , that is why the above poster took more than 48 hours), but a large percentage of the people stuck in Thailand are families.

Have you ever tried moving a baby or young children around like many of you are assuming ? I dont think so !

Firstly the costs are obviously larger (2 adults + child) then you have all the problems of food, toilets, waiting around, etc.

Thailand as a family destination - which is what it has tried to push itself as for the last few year - is dead for years.

Thailand as a single mans playground - which is what thailand has tried to stop / change - is now the main/only game in town.

They have shot themselves in the foot / arm / leg / everywhere

[Chaimai]

It is all very easy for singles to get out of the country via the train (though it is 36 hours from bkk to kl) assuming the flooding has stopped at hat yai (which it hasnt , that is why the above poster took more than 48 hours), but a large percentage of the people stuck in Thailand are families.

Have you ever tried moving a baby or young children around like many of you are assuming ? I dont think so !

Firstly the costs are obviously larger (2 adults + child) then you have all the problems of food, toilets, waiting around, etc.

Thailand as a family destination - which is what it has tried to push itself as for the last few year - is dead for years.

Thailand as a single mans playground - which is what thailand has tried to stop / change - is now the main/only game in town.

They have shot themselves in the foot / arm / leg / everywhere

A very good point and well made.

I am OK - I am one of those single travellers and if I can't get my flight on Tuesday I will probably go Cambodia, KL, London. I fully accept that I could not do that with with kids in tow. So for me it has all been a minor inconvenience (thus far!) and I have gained 8 days extra - for families it must have been (a) A nightmare and ( A huge deterrent for future visits.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Chaimai

[kean]

We are at Kuala Lampur airport ,were just about to board flight to Utapao..

Just been told that the plane is being re-routed to Bangkok.

We are the first Intlernational flight into Bangkok

can't wait

what carrier? air asia, MAS or ???

i am waiting for flight from Suvarnabhum to Kuala Lumpur. my carrier is air asia.

[annabel]

The damage has been done though. Today, despite the ending of the siege etc etc, the Australian Government has advised its citizens to "RECONSIDER YOUR NEED TO TRAVEL" to Thailand.

Upto today, the warning was just for Bangkok, but now it's been updated to include the WHOLE COUNTRY!

More mass hotel cancellations coming......

After visiting Thailand,as regular visitors,since 1991,when again,theirwere demonstrations in Bangkok,about who knows what,this last fiasco has finished us.We feel for the thousands who have been stranded at the airport,who also,will never return,plus,all the negative feedback,from these people.Thankfully,we never invested in Thailand.Far too volotile.Like an offshoot of Wall Street!!Sadly,after all these years,we will look elsewhere

Honestly I think you are all over reacting .... it's not as if we had a life Threatening Situation ...Inconvenienced greatly ...YES!! ...but nothing like many other countries have had/seen in the past decade with Bombs and terrorist attacks as we have just seen in Bombay and it hasn't stop people from going back ...Spain ...Train bombings...terrorist attacks ...and people still go there on holidays ...France has outrageous strikes day in day out that inconvenience tourists and business people all year around ...People still do business there and tourists still come .....And I can go on with Greece, Turkey , Bangladesh and on and on ....Even New York with 9/11 ....how many people stopped going there either on business ( Or stopped doing business there or closed down their business's ) or stopped going for tourism....? People who have business's can't just close them down and walk away .....as for tourism .... people forget within a very short period of time .....How long did any of you grieve over 9/11 other than when every year on Sept 11th they have a special day to remind us of 9/11....How many times a day do any of you think of 9/11 since it happend and yes I know that was now many years ago ...my question is how many of you stopped thinking about it even 2 months after it hapend...? HUH??? and does that stop any of you or did it stop any of you from going to New York ???? And if yes , ....for how long ...? = 6 months?? ...

In less than a couple of months this will be on the back burner of almost everybody.The Bombay situation is what was predominant on the news worldwide ....barely 2 seconds of air time was allocated to the Thai situation during the past week .....Now that the Bombay situation is over the focus is back on Thailand .... but even now , Bombay is still predominant on the news ....and there too ...how much of it will be on the news even a couple of weeks from now ??? but as I said ....life goes on and people forget very quickly in this day and age ....people are in a different time frame now a days and may show outrage and strong feelings towards something like this ...But at the end of the day they forget the misery of others very quickly and move on and pursue their goals whether business goals or holiday goals ....We just have to hope that things will stabilize now ....if they don't then that's another story ....

[JetsetBkk]

....

Edited December 3, 2008 by JetsetBkk

[annabel]

....

Ahhhh!!! So sorry that you are sooooo sory !!!

[samui04]

The damage has been done though. Today, despite the ending of the siege etc etc, the Australian Government has advised its citizens to "RECONSIDER YOUR NEED TO TRAVEL" to Thailand.

Upto today, the warning was just for Bangkok, but now it's been updated to include the WHOLE COUNTRY!

More mass hotel cancellations coming......

I just read in the Swedish news that not many Swedes have canceled their trip to Thailand over Christmas. Maybe it won't be as bad after all...

Well, Europe is cold and lot of snow...

But Australia has lots of incredible beaches and very good climate, so i really do not understand why people form Oz want to go to Thailand.....