33 replies to this topic

[gaz]

http://news.bbc.co.u...fic/7764117.stm
Thai airports open as people wait

Bangkok's two airports have begun to operate flights although officials say a full schedule will not resume for another day.

Suvarnabhumi airport was taking in a limited number of international flights and flights are leaving for Australia and Europe.

The government is looking for a new prime minister after Somchai Wongsawat was banned from politics on Tuesday.

Later on Thursday, the King of Thailand will give his annual speech.

People from both sides of Thailand's bitter political divide are licking their wounds after the gruelling protests of the past six months.

A halt was called to the blockade of the country's two main airports on Wednesday after a Tuesday court ruling that deposed the prime minister and banned the three ruling parties due to charges of electoral fraud.
Resuming a normal flight schedule will take another day or two, officials said.

More than 300,000 travellers have been stranded in Thailand by the political unrest.

Thai Airways, said it would operate 24 international flights - 12 outbound and 12 inbound - to and from Europe, Asia and Australia at Suvarnabhumi before midnight on Thursday.

The airline and the Airports Authority of Thailand said they were preparing to sue the protesters for damages resulting from the occupation of the airports.

Led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, protesters had camped out at the airport for eight days, using the airport's electricity and water, and virtually closing down the country's aviation links.

Political chasm

Despite their dispersal, the political landscape remains riven by powerful personalities and disputes.

The government has 30 days in which to find a new prime ministerial candidate, but the protesters say they will return to the streets if they dislike the choice.

The PAD accuses the government of being a proxy for deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who they accuse of corruption and republicanism.

But the opponents of Mr Thaksin have been unable to win any election to replace him or his allies, who retain strong support from the rural poor majority.

Deputy Prime Minister Chaowarat Chandeerakul has been endorsed as caretaker leader.

"It is nothing more than an intermission. It is not over until the two sides of the political spectrum can reconcile and the prospect of that happening is very bleak," Charnvit Kasetsiri, a historian and former rector of Bangkok's Thammasat University, told the Associated Press.

The tourism and export-dependent economy is also expected to take time to recover.

The central bank cut interest rates by a shock 100 basis points to 2.75 percent on Wednesday, reflecting the economic costs of the political crisis.

Royal hope

Everyone is awaiting the annual birthday-eve speech later on Thursday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Due to turn 81 and thought to be in poor health, the King has long been looked to for guidance in times of turmoil; this year analysts say the stakes have rarely been higher.

Months of protests have left at least six people dead, and the divisions in Thai society starker than ever.

The King is due to make his remarks on radio at around 1300 GMT.

ESCALATING CONFLICT
September 2006: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ousted in military coup
February 2008: Samak Sundaravej sworn in as prime minister
August 2008: PAD protesters occupy government buildings, demanding the government step down
September 2008: Mr Samak dismissed for violating conflict of interest law. Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law, becomes prime minister
October 2008: Thaksin given a two-year jail sentence for corruption in his absence
26 November 2008: Anti-government protesters take control of Bangkok's main airport
2 December 2008: Thai court rules that PM Somchai should be banned from politics, and his party should be dissolved
3 December 2008: Protesters vacate Bangkok airports

[gaz]

Thailand reopens main international airport

http://www.google.co...k8pJ3wD94SG8L02

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Dancers, drummers and apologetic tourism officials greeted travelers Friday at the official reopening of Thailand's main international airport, which was shut down for a week by anti-government protesters.

Still, there was more turmoil for weary tourists who found that Suvarnabhumi International Airport was operating at only about 50 percent capacity and scores of flights had been canceled.

For many, it was the continuation of a confusing and tiring ordeal that began Nov. 25 when the first of Bangkok's two airports was forced to close by anti-government group seeking the ouster of the prime minister.

The closure that ended Wednesday stranded more than 300,000 visitors, caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights and dealt a heavy blow to the country's tourism-dependent economy. Bangkok's domestic Don Muang airport, which also had been closed, reopened Thursday.

"There is a nice atmosphere and food here, but if you go down to the last counter you will see a lot of long faces because of all the canceled flights," said Nadine Woytal, a 27-year-old television reporter from Germany who found that her Thai Airways flight to Munich had been canceled. "It hasn't been fun the past few days."

Touring the departure area, Transport Minister Santi Prompat, said "Suvarnabhumi is 100% ready" and that all airport systems "were back to normal."

Serirat Prasutanont, acting director of Airports of Thailand, said 547 flights were scheduled to arrive and depart Friday at Suvarnabhumi. Most of those were Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and budget carrier Thai Air Asia flights. Singapore and Emirates also resumed flights.

"Many foreign airlines are still not ready to land," Serirat said. "They need some time to adjust their flight schedules."

Antoine Six, a 25-year-old ski instructor from Areches-Beaufort, France, said he and two friends had just learned their Gulf Air flight had been canceled and the ticket counter was unstaffed.

"I'm pretty unhappy and sad," Six said as he drank from a half-empty bottle of vodka.

Travelers, however, were treated like VIPs when they entered Suvarnabhumi on Friday, greeted by traditional Thai dancers and smiling flight attendants offering gifts of flower bracelets and miniature Thai masks. The sounds of traditional Thai music wafted through the terminal, and tables of cakes, croissants and coffee were everywhere.

Some travelers even got a personal apology from airport officials and Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Phornsiri Manoharn.

"I hope you enjoyed your time in Thailand and I am certain there won't be a thing like this again," Phornsiri told two Swedish tourists before flying off to France for a luxury tourism convention. "Thailand will be the land of smiles and hospitality as usual."

Plenty of other departing travelers took the latest chaos in stride, saying they appreciated the hospitality of Thais and how they went out of their way to apologize for the disruptions.

"It's a very comfortable prison to be in. We are sad to go home," said Dick Eyre, a 64-year-old retired engineer from Liphook, England, who had been stranded with his wife since Nov. 27.

"If this would have been done at Heathrow, it would have been much less friendly," Eyre said. "There wouldn't have been dancers and the free drinks."

The shutdown is the latest mishap to hit the US$3.8 billion, pet project of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. It opened in 2006 and was built to serve as a regional hub.

It has been plagued by a host of problems including cracks in taxiways, allegations of corruption in the construction and concerns over lax security that allowed protesters to easily overrun it.

Diplomats from the European Union and six governments including the United States said they remained "seriously concerned" that the airport remained "vulnerable to outside assaults."

"We urge the government of Thailand to take all necessary measures to improve the protection and security of all Thai airports, so as to avoid the recurrence of a similar seizure in the future," they said in a statement.

[Legend]

there we have it folks, word on the ground from the lord mayor himself.
so, hopefully gaz will stop his latest cut and paste hobby. :wink:

[sev7en]

So what will gaz do now? Posting crossdressing beauties from London? Or can we find him a new topic where he can go on cutting and pasting?

[dixon cox]

Maybe gaz can copy/paste pentire's last post with a link to it also

Just for confirmation purposes of course

[sev7en]

I can´t think of a better person than gaz to be our own currency brooker/advisor. He´s trustworhty, clear, right to the point etc.

Any objections?

[gaz]

Seven and Anthony70 im begining to think u are the same person posting sure sounds like it , same wording same comments sam way of writing any one actually met Seven ? .People to lazy to click a link ie steviep35.

[matchman]

Seven and Anthony70 im begining to think u are the same person posting sure sounds like it , same wording same comments sam way of writing any one actually met Seven ? .People to lazy to click a link ie steviep35.

Of course we might wonder about your good self gaz and how much of an expert you are on Thailand as to whether you've actually ever been there, or even set foot in the country!!! but I can vouch from talking to the ladies in Pattaya that you really do exist and yes you are even a legend to some.. ROFL probably not the best type of Legend but every LB I've met who remembers you has plenty of comments on the subject.

Just for clarification, Sev7en wears the baseball cap and anthony70 has the body art, I'm pretty sure there not the same person, if I dropped the soap while wearing copy hair I might have to watch Anthony70 but I'm pretty sure I'd be safe with Sev7en.....

Oh and ones from Britain and the other isnt.. pretty simple really.. and I think you might find quite a few of us now both quite well from our trips to LOS, of course most of us havent met you but that might be a good thing ..

[sev7en]

Seven and Anthony70 im begining to think u are the same person posting sure sounds like it , same wording same comments sam way of writing any one actually met Seven ? .People to lazy to click a link ie steviep35.

I take that as a compliment, but no, we aren´t the same.
He´s young, fit and hansum. I´m not.
What about you? You work out alot? I heard you´re about as fit as anothony.
Hows Benz/Lusi/Mut doing these days? Which ones your gf now?