Thai protesters say no plan to shut airports

BANGKOK, January 3, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's anti-government protest movement reassured tourists Friday that it would not target the kingdom's airports or public transportation during a planned "shutdown" of Bangkok later this month.

The demonstrators, who are seeking to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb her billionaire family's political dominance, say they will occupy Bangkok from January 13.

"Operation Occupy Bangkok does NOT involve airport closures or the disruption of any mass transport services. Public buses, trains, BTS sky-trains, MRT underground trains, and public boats will operate normally," the protest movement said on its English-language Facebook page.

The demonstrators have vowed to set up protest stages around the capital, prevent government officials from going to work and to cut off power and water to government offices as well as to the residences of the prime minister and her cabinet.

The protesters also plan several marches in Bangkok starting from Sunday to build momentum ahead of the occupation attempt.

Thai stocks and the baht currency have fallen sharply on concerns that the deepening crisis will scare off foreign tourists and international investment.

In 2008 opposition protesters paralysed Bangkok's main airports, stranding thousands of tourists.

Yingluck has called February elections but the protesters have vowed to block the vote, which they fear will only return the Shinawatra clan to power.

They have prevented candidates registering for the polls in several opposition-dominated southern provinces.

Eight people have been killed and about 400 wounded in several outbreaks of street violence in recent weeks.

Thailand has been periodically convulsed by political bloodshed since Yingluck's older brother Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown by royalist generals in a coup in 2006.

The protesters, who largely comprise southerners, royalists, middle class Thais and urban elite, accuse the billionaire tycoon-turned-politician of corruption and say he controls his sister's government from his self-exile in Dubai.

They want an unelected "people's council" to run the country to oversee loosely-defined reforms -- such as an end to alleged "vote buying" -- before new elections are held in around a year to 18 months.

Yingluck's government still enjoys strong support in the northern half of the country and is expected to win the election if it goes ahead.

Her Puea Thai party is due to kick off its re-election campaign on Saturday with rallies at several locations including on the outskirts of Bangkok and in several cities in the north and northeast.

Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters also plan to hold their own rallies on January 13, mainly in their northern strongholds, to show their opposition to the Bangkok protests.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-01-03

No Airport closures ... Bless their little coloured socks ! ......

The AOT over-reacting and deciding to close the airports when there was an anti-Thaksin protest outside has attracted a lot of derogatory comments from many quarters. However it was all worth it when an overseas news channel interviewed some stranded passengers and managed to find an irate American gentlemen with a beetroot red face and clearly spitting feathers. He was ranting about some "cock-a-mamey" protest, and didn't they realize he might miss his thanksgiving party! Priceless, and it all started to make sense.

Like the last time, you don't need a plan to shut the airport.

Just pay them a visit, and AOT will shut itself.

No airport closures?...yeah but try getting there

No plan does not mean that they won't... Suthep seems so desparate to mobilize massively but most of the opposition supporters have jobs or businesses to run. So unlikely they will mobilize for days except weekends. I am sure airports and public transportation are options in Suthep desperate quest.

No need to shut it down. If you can't get to the airport and if people at the airport can't get where they are going, then it is effectively closed -- or blocked. Not everyone can get exactly where they need to be with the Airport link.

I don't think this group are going to cut taxi-drivers much of a break. At least the last one that requested to get through a blockade didn't fare too well.

Oh, and all the people that work at the airport will not be prevented from going to work. And the trucks that deliver food, and oil and other essentials to the airport will be allowed through.

I hope they give the same consideration for emergency vehicles, ambulances, people going to hospitals, fire trucks and some of the other things that keep people alive.

...and both sides are very well known, for always telling the truth on absolutely everything...

The AOT over-reacting and deciding to close the airports when there was an anti-Thaksin protest outside has attracted a lot of derogatory comments from many quarters. However it was all worth it when an overseas news channel interviewed some stranded passengers and managed to find an irate American gentlemen with a beetroot red face and clearly spitting feathers. He was ranting about some "cock-a-mamey" protest, and didn't they realize he might miss his thanksgiving party! Priceless, and it all started to make sense.

My flight left Swampy around 5pm on the closure day, one of the last to get out.

Taking off it was obvious crews were unable to reach the airport, cars blocking the access roads.

No crews: no flights can take off.

Keep the airport open for what???

Some people here are brain-dead.

We were told by the crew we were lucky to be able to leave Swampy altogether.

I don't think this shutdown of Bangkok has been thought through too well or is it just me?

Good announcement in that it lays to rest rumours the administration has been busy fanning.

Thank all the Gods! Public transport will not be interrupted (only flooded with a gazillion passengers and resembling either sardines in a can or circus clowns in a mini, depending on who bathed that day).

Now all the tourists will come!

I mean, what inconvenience could there be with Men In Black, deaths on both sides, shootings of cops, cops of shootings, whispers of a coup, big threats from both sides, the storming of government buildings, the blocking of elections, the bombings in the South, the rip off jet ski operators on the coasts, a raver demanding he appoint the next government, the current government embarassed beyond sentient belief at both pledging rice and passing major bills at 4 AM...and Dubai? Tourists, don't worry, you won't be assaulted like foreign journalists...usually.

All is well! Come spend your money. Since the baht nose-dived, you get more buying power (as long as you do not exchange cash at the airport).

This post is going on eleven tourist websites before sunrise. Here's your sign.

Copy and paste is more powerful than the sword.

Good announcement in that it lays to rest rumours the administration has been busy fanning.

Yes, it must be the administration fanning these rumors. Why else would anyone ever believe that the yellow shirts would do such a destructive thing as close the airports....oh wait a minute. I guess the reports of them doing just that back a few years ago was just another rumor started by the redshirts.

And why is it a "good announcement". After all, if the yellow shirts were to shut down the airport, according to your lights, they would just be exercising their sacred right to civil disobedience. Of course, those of us who actually understand civil disobedience also know that it means accepting the legal consequences of your disobedience. That's what gives it its moral strength. Don't see much evidence of that attitude in the PDRC.

That means they won't need to use Red Cross vans to deliver weapons like they did last time!

Protesting in and around hualampong railway station will lock up a major transport hub, affecting also post, cargo and tourists.

There will be airport delays, probably cancellation of some flights, due to late arrivals of passangers, workers and supplies.

If the protests are going to last 5-20 days, there would be a cumulative affect on air traffic, with bangkokians and tourists trying to escape the worsening situation in bkk town centre

The AOT over-reacting and deciding to close the airports when there was an anti-Thaksin protest outside has attracted a lot of derogatory comments from many quarters. However it was all worth it when an overseas news channel interviewed some stranded passengers and managed to find an irate American gentlemen with a beetroot red face and clearly spitting feathers. He was ranting about some "cock-a-mamey" protest, and didn't they realize he might miss his thanksgiving party! Priceless, and it all started to make sense.

Yes it made sense to you that a minority of crying babies could not accept the vote of the majority!

The AOT is responsible for passenger safety at the airports, i guess that is over your head.

Travelers were stranded all over the world in different cities because of the chaos it caused to flights. Most were stuck having to pay for it on their own because airlines didn't have to compensate due to "political unrest". Seems that idea is fine to you in your rational.

"The demonstrators have vowed to set up protest stages around the capital, prevent government officials from going to work and to cut off power and water to government offices as well as to the residences of the prime minister and her cabinet."

But, but, but,.... if you cut off electricity even ONLY MEANT for supposed government workers,... it will affect innocent day to day business people, regular workers AND school kids AND university students and their facilities, businesses AND THE INTERNET as well... hint*hint*

Live from Democracy Monument: " No pain, no gain."

So, this shutdown of Bkk will only affect government workers? Sounds like a good plan. Lets see how it works.

So, this shutdown of Bkk will only affect government workers? Sounds like a good plan. Lets see how it works.

Nope,... since water and electricity seems to be centralized at ONE place,... you can guess the rest...

So, if there is a water main breaks somewhere or there is an electrical outage, those workers will be able to go and fix it?

I don't think these people know how quickly this city descends into chaos. A couple of sprinkles of rain can snarl the place up.

Seriously people. They're going to block some intersections and cut off access to some ministries. I think some people are over reacting.

They hardly have enough people to block democracy monument intersection tonight. Suthep has overestimated & overstretched his sheep with his grandiose plans. Don't forget that there are millions of government supporters in Bangkok.

I hope Suthep has built a few more mosques around Bangkok to accommodate the people in his upcoming rallies.

Edited January 3, 201412 yr by Rich teacher

It is so nice these days that criminals announced their crime before committing it. They are so considerate. And I think that they feel it's the right thing to do. However, it is sad that the authority side, the side that's supposed to uphold the law of the land cannot enforce their law or chooses not to do anything . So in a way, it's like the criminals are calling a bluff on them.

It is so nice these days that criminals announced their crime before committing it. They are so considerate. And I think that they feel it's the right thing to do. However, it is sad that the authority side, the side that's supposed to uphold the law of the land cannot enforce their law or chooses not to do anything . So in a way, it's like the criminals are calling a bluff on them.

What crime are they committing?

How nice of them not to shut the airport. Now I just need to figure out a way to get out of my driveway.....

so its a sure thing they will shut down the airport ( since we all know they say the opposite of what they will do_

That means they won't need to use Red Cross vans to deliver weapons like they did last time!

I'm sure you have zero proof of that and I'm sure you're a lying old troll who should be banned from these pages

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