Friday, 28 November 2008

Thailand : A state of emergency

Travel Blackboard
Friday, 28 November 2008

A state of emergency has been officially declared at Thailand’s two main airports late on Thursday, giving police more power to oust the protestors from the airports, which now look to stay closed until at least Saturday evening.

For the third day in a row, no flights will be arriving or departing from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, which was shut initially on Tuesday when anti-government protestors overran the airport in a failed bid to prevent the Prime Minister from arriving home from the APEC leaders’ summit.

Delivering an address to the nation from his current base in Chiang Mai Somchai Wongsawat, the embattled PM officially announced a state of emergency at the two sites, accusing the anti-government movement of “kidnapping” the country.

“It is wrong for protesters to take the entire Thai nation hostage,” he stated.

As of yet, it is unclear as to what extra steps the police could take to remove the 10,000 or so protestors from the terminal, but a local newspaper has reported some 30 medical teams on standby at the airports if the incident erupts.

A state of emergency was declared in Thailand earlier in September after protestors blockaded parliament house and its surrounds.

Diversions to U-Tapao naval base

The Thailand Department of Civil Aviation has given clearance for U-Tapao air force base, 140 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, to be used for airlines wishing to divert their scheduled BKK or DMK services.

But already, reports have come from U-Tapao officials that the airport is not ready for passengers of that volume, reports the Bangkok Post.

U-Tapao normally serves a very small number of flights a day usually between 20 and 30, with capabilities of only processing a maximum of 400 passengers at the 2,610m² airport terminal.

The airstrip on the other hand, at 3.5km long and 60m wide will not be an issue for landing jumbos, as it is used to accommodate B-52 bombers.

Thai Airways yesterday successfully landed an A340-500, flight TG795, carrying 126 passengers at the airbase.

Thousands stranded

Over 3,000 passengers have been stranded in Bangkok due to the recent unrest, and while Thai Airways has accommodated all passengers flying with them, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has facilitated accommodation for the remaining travellers.

“On the basis of assistance, TAT has provided accommodation and meals, as well as facilitated tourists as much as possible until they are able to return home. For more information regarding accommodation,” said TAT in a statement.

Six hotels are being used to accommodate those stranded, and with cooperation from the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) and Association of Thai Travel Agents (THA), all passengers have all been transferred away from the airports.

For those travellers with expired visas due to their departure day being delayed, TAT urges passengers to show their original tickets, or a copy, with their scheduled date of departure when clearing immigration, after airports eventually open.

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