Bangkok situation.

[Michael Cleary]

They do their politial demonstrations differently in Thailand it seems.

Try this caper (and the previous one in Phuket a few months ago) in most other countries and there would have been a lot of blood and deaths as the authorities would have been much less patient.

One more tourist destination to cross off the list for the time being - not so much for Security reasons, but for the inconvenience caused by not knowing whether you will get there, or get out afterwards without spending half your holiday waiting around airports (and not for spotting reasons either!!!).

[Justin L]

Some friends of mine flew back from Spain on BA via LHR and BKK and landed in SYD this morning (26/11/08). They said they only had a 15 minute delay at BKK as the pilots were late getting to the terminal due to the protests. My friends said they could see the protesters, but that it was business as usual within the terminal.

[Rhys Xanthis]

One killed so far.

A MAN has been killed in a clash between pro and anti-government supporters in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai shortly after the Prime Minister arrived in the city, police say.

Fighting between the rival groups broke out on Wednesday after premier Somchai Wongsawat flew in from a foreign trip to receive the news that the army chief had asked him to call elections in a bid to end months of political protests.

"There was an argument between a red shirt group and a yellow group in front of the radio station and a man was attacked and killed,'' Lieutenant Colonel Atipong Thongdaeng of Chiang Mai police said.

He said it was not clear whether the victim was from a pro-government group, which usually wear red clothes, or if he was part of the movement against Somchai's administration, which is often clad in yellow.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...-23109,00.html

[Anthony J]

Qantas has issued a 'Major Disruption' message on the website regarding rerouting QF1 and 2.
Changes to bookings to/from Thailand

Jetstar is cancelling their Bangkok flights:

Bangkok - Civil Unrest
FOR PASSENGERS TRAVELLING IN OR OUT OF BANGKOK – update communication 02/26 22:30

Due to civil unrest in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport Shall be closed for operations on Thursday 27 November 2008.

Jetstar flights JQ29 MEL/BKK and JQ30 BKK/MEL on the 27/11/08 have been cancelled.

Jetstar will endeavour to contact all affected passengers immediately to discuss their travel options.

Jetstar passengers are encouraged to contact our Call Centre on +001 800 61 12957 International 13 15 38 Australia.

As at 22:30 Wednesday 26th November 2008 Jetstar Flights JQ30 BKK/MEL and JQ29 MEL/BKK scheduled to depart Sunday 30th November 2008 are operating as normal.

Please continue to monitor the website for further updates

http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-...e-airport.html

[Stefan Perkas]

Evening all,

Toady's 28/11/08 QF2 will arrive from Singapore instead of Bangkok.

[Rhys Xanthis]

My friend in Bangkok in the moment has just let me know that BKK has been shut til 29th Nov 6pm (at the earliest).

And the army is playing hard ball with the government.

[Arthur T]

Thailand Government had announced the 2 BKK airports in Emergency situation and is negotiating with the police.

Seem the Police will try to clear the protesters if the negotiation is failed.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Government and Cathay Pacific will join together and provide an emergency evacuation service from Utapao to Hong Kong.

The first emergency evacuation service will depart Utapao in Thailand numbered CX 3332 leaving this afternoon is due in HKG at 18.00 Hong Kong Time.

There would be another emergency evacuation service from Cathay Pacific tomorrow morning. Details to be announced.

Utapao is an airport near Patayya, which is about 2 hours away from Bangkok.

Personally, if you see any commutors in Australia urgently going to Bangkok, please make themselves asap take the CX 100 or CX 138 service to connect the outbound emergency evacuation service CX 3331 from Hong Kong to Utapao, which will depart tomorrow morning.

Source:

CP moves to help stranded passengers

28-11-2008


Because Bangkok is closed to air traffic, Cathay Pacific Airways is making arrangements to fly stranded passengers from a military base near Pattaya, which is about 160 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, back to Hong Kong, today. There will also be another Cathay flight flying out of Hong Kong tomorrow, to the military base near Pattaya, as well as another flight taking passengers back from that same base to Hong Kong tomorrow. The Airport Authority says 32 flights that had been scheduled to fly to Bangkok today have been cancelled.

http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/ein...1128&56&541305

[Stefan Perkas]

Morning all,

The first Thai airways flight that has'nt been in Sydney in two days will be arriving in Sydney morning. TG 993 a 777-300 reg unknown will be arriving from Phuket at around 0820. At this stage TG995 and 991 are both cancelled.

[Grahame Hutchison]

www.16Right.com ACARS ...

HS-TKC TG0993 29/11/2008 08:02 Thai International B777-3D7 Bangkok-Sydney-Melbourne

[Andrew P]

see quite a lot of flights are going through Utapao

drove down there last October from Pattaya, to have a look

although airport is huge, (was a Vietnam War US base), terminal is small

expect only have a few sets of steps there

Banjo