100,000 stranded farangs

[arjay]

A couple of BBC News video clips of the airport protesters and some stranded tourists:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7757159.stm

For stranded people running out of money, the tourists shown in the clip do seem to be continuing to live in style and luxury, in what looks like a 4 or 5 star hotel.

[wazza]

Thai tourist authority stated they were going to give 2000 B per day per person to assist with their extended stay.

Interesting to see the approach by the travel insurance companies, Civil disturbance is normally an exclusion to some policies and after this episode they will most likely make sure it is on all policies.

Another example of the iresponsibility of this issue and its global affects.

[arjay]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7757866.stm

Empty aircraft fly from Bangkok
Stranded passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok
Thousands of passengers have been stranded by the protests

About 40 empty planes have flown out of Bangkok's international airport after authorities reached a deal with protesters camped there for seven days.

Thousands of travellers have been stranded since anti-government groups took over two airports last week.

The deal allows a total 88 planes to be flown out to other Thai airports, where it is hoped they can evacuate some of the blockaded tourists.

The crisis has economically damaged the country since it intensified last week.

Thailand's deputy premier for economic affairs is reported to be meeting senior figures in commerce, industry and tourism today to discuss the damage being done.

As the backlog of stranded foreigners grows with each day, foreign embassies are beside themselves with frustration, says the BBC's Jonathan Head at Bangkok airport.

Foreign airlines

A spokeswoman for Airports of Thailand said: "Thirty-seven aircraft have left Suvarnabhumi (international airport) since the first aircraft of Siam GA (a regional airline) took off on Sunday evening.

"International airlines will have to contact us to take those stranded aircraft out of Suvarnabhumi."

Twelve planes belonging to foreign airlines are stranded at Suvarnabhumi, as well as 29 from Thai Airways, 16 of Thai Airasia, 15 from Bangkok Airways, and 22 aircraft from other airlines.

With thousands of British citizens among the estimated 100,000 travellers, a spokesman for the UK's Foreign Office said: "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.

"We have continued our consultations with airlines and Thai authorities...and action is being stepped up to enable people to travel in greater numbers, for example via Chiang Mai."

Chiang Mai, in the north, is 700km (435 milies) by road from Bangkok, while the other option - Phuket, a resort in the south - is 850km (530 miles).

France has said it will send a "special plane" to fly its citizens out of Thailand on Monday, with "those in the most pressing situations...given priority," AFP news agency reported.

Air France-KLM has already said it would fly travellers out of Phuket.

A few airlines have been using an airport at the U-Tapao naval base, about 140km (90 miles) south-east of Bangkok.

On Sunday more than 450 Muslim pilgrims stranded at the international airport were taken by bus to the base where they were to board a plane for the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Spain and Australia have been arranging special flights to evacuate their citizens.

Thailand's tourist industry is losing an estimated $85m (£55.4m) per day, and the government warns that the number of foreign tourists arriving next year may halve, threatening one million jobs.

The protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are a loose alliance of royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class.

They opposition want the government to resign, accusing it of being corrupt, hostile to the monarchy and in league with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

[wazza]

Qantas is using their new A380

[rick]

So westerby wants to be number 1,000,000 on the stranded list - well i made the first 5,000. I had the pleasure of sleeping on the cold floor last tuesday night. Was lucky enough to get out on wednesday to a Bangkok hotel, but after 2 days of slow suffocation whenever i walked outside, took the train back to Udon. Now, can anyone tell me, where in udon can i go and claim my 2,000 baht a day expenses from the government? Because, if so, I am willing to stay until Xmas!
I know this demonstration will wreck tourism in Thailand, and i feel for all those thai who suffer as a result. Well, just means i have to come back again to offer my support. I'm committed, but willing to suffer a bit for the good life in the future. Anyway,do I regret leaving Bangkok, no way. I am happy to let other stranded tourists have my seat!

[westerby]

Anyway,do I regret leaving Bangkok, no way. I am happy to let other stranded tourists have my seat!

I think I might try the Vientiane route later this week or sit here and chill out for another few days. Hysterical tourists and useless Thai officials will do nothing for my chai yen yen.

[BobHelm]

It would seem that I was incorrect in my belief that you could fly Singapore - Vientiane.
I cannot find a route for this.
Air Asia do fly Kuala Lumpur to Vientiane and Lao Air fly Ho Chi Min or Hanoi or Phnonpen - Vientiane.

[westerby]

It would seem that I was incorrect in my belief that you could fly Singapore - Vientiane.
I cannot find a route for this.
Air Asia do fly Kuala Lumpur to Vientiane and Lao Air fly Ho Chi Min or Hanoi or Phnonpen - Vientiane.

That's fine, it was the Vientiane - KL trip that I was thinking about. I was just saying to someone in a PM that I asked about contacting Eva Air to confirm my flight back later this week at the Travel Agents and got told to forget it as the World and his dog were currently blocking Eva's phone lines.

[Galee]

Have just seen on TV that the police have allowed more PAD terrorists to gather at swampy. Looks like this is going to run and run until the country is bankrupt.

[Nobby]

I'm due to fly out with Eva Air from London on Saturday night (6th) and arriving at swampy on Sunday 3.15pm and then I have a flight booked to Udon with Thai Airways at 6.30pm..... What's the chance of this happening because from this end, it doesn't look to good although there is stiil the best part of a week to go and I suppose anything can happen in Thailand these days.

[laphanphon]

since PAD seem to be getting reinforcements, it's not looking good for you. birthday address, don't think it will change things. even if they did leave friday night or saturday, i can't see the airport up and running sunday. but, i am usually wrong, so good luck.

if they throw out the present coalition gov't tuesday, and PAD leaves tues or wed, then things might be ready for sunday arrivals. again, good luck.

[Galee]

I've got a flight booked on the 9th to London to be at my sons wedding. I'm going to be more than a little pissed off if I can't be there.

[jingjai]

...even if they did leave friday night or saturday, i can't see the airport up and running sunday...

I know there are some members of the forum who have worked in the airport/airline industry. What is your best guesstimate as to how many days, once the protesters have finally vacated, that it will take the airport to be up and running? Will it have to be safety certified again by some international airport authority?

[lepidoptra]

According to news the UK doesn't seem to worried about stranded citizens and is doing nothing. Other countries are trying their best to help their people.

[arjay]

Galee, depending who you are due to fly with and whether you have paid for the ticket in full, or can change it or obtain a refund, have you thought about flying with Air Asia from Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and from there to London with Malaysian Airlines? I made some enquiries yesterday and noted that Air Asia were booking up quickly on that route.

If you are due to fly on the 9th December, I would suggest, unless the situation at Suvarnabhumi is resolved within the next day or two, they won't be able to get flights back on schedule or backlogs cleared by the 9th December.

[jingjai]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30089883
240,000 tourists stranded in Thailand: tourism miniser

Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said the number of stranded tourists have risen to 240,000.

Weerasak is due to attend a foreign press conference at Bitec Bangna, the second city terminal which is open today for international flight check-in. He said he would do everything to send news to the world that Thailand is doing it best to send stranded travellers home.

The minister added that he would ask for the special financial package worth Bt10 billion to help small and medium-sized operators in the tourism and related industries which have been hard hit by the shutdown of Bangkok airports.

The Nation

I think it going to take quite awhile to get the airport back on schedule.

Hey Lee. Since Udonmap is probably considered a "small and medium-sized operators in the tourism and related industries", maybe you could get small chunk of that 10 billion? Worth a shot.

[Galee]

Galee, depending who you are due to fly with and whether you have paid for the ticket in full, or can change it or obtain a refund, have you thought about flying with Air Asia from Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and from there to London with Malaysian Airlines? I made some enquiries yesterday and noted that Air Asia were booking up quickly on that route.

If you are due to fly on the 9th December, I would suggest, unless the situation at Suvarnabhumi is resolved within the next day or two, they won't be able to get flights back on schedule or backlogs cleared by the 9th December.

Thanks arjay. That's not an option I'd thought about. I did read on Thai Visa that existing bookings would still have preference over customers trying to re-book if their flight had been canceled. Obviously if the 9th is canceled I'd have little or no chance re-booking with Qatar.
I did speak with a friend on Saturday who was due to fly out on last Friday. His airline told him the best they could expect was the 9th. Didn't find out what airline he had booked with though.

[BobHelm]

They have just said the following on the Aussie news channel.

They do not expect the demonstrators to move before the weekend at the earliest. They estimated that it would take between 10 to 14 days to get the airport operational after the protesters left.

[Ter]

Still no flight from lhr although TA are telling customers to report T3, anyway have to go to Frankfurt today and get a flight to the old military base then its upto me . the only flight next from lhr is on the 3rd to phuket and that is the last. Flights from copenhagen and frankfurt are running though.

[wazza]

Nobby

They are saying it takes 5 days to get Swampy reacreditted, so asuming it opens 2morrow, its tight as....

What does Eva say, they might have a landing spot at U Taupoa ???

If not ur stranded before u even get to Heathrow.