Is the situation stable in Thailand? should I cancel my visit?

[js007 795]

I have a feeling none of this will end well.

[pattaya_mad 208]

If and when the FCO start advising against travel then that is my holiday plans for January scuppered because there is no way I will travel without insurance.

still 7 weeks to go so I would hope it will be all over by then (praying)

[nickman70 470]

If and when the FCO start advising against travel then that is my holiday plans for January scuppered because there is no way I will travel without insurance.

still 7 weeks to go so I would hope it will be all over by then (praying)

 

For this exact same reason, every time I go to Thailand, I get a flight and hotel package, it is most of the time cheaper, I shop around early and get a good deal. Then fully insure the package ( the 90 bucks or so are really worth it). It is not that I need insurance, it is mostly for unforeseen events like these or unfortunate events like accidents. I always have the option of cancelling without losing any money and doing it another time. I actually used the insurance once, I had to cancel because of some commitments at home, I received every penny back ( except the insurance of course), no questions asked.

[spike 236]

facebook post from a friend 20 minutes ago living in Bkk....

 

I really worries about Bkk. right now. .. near my place already 11 people get hurt 1 die. . This is war? ?? Hope everything calms down soon ..

[pattaya_mad 208]

seems like anti government students trying to stir up trouble, not looking good right now, theres going to be inevitable trouble between reds and yellows/.

thinking my January trip might well be in serious doubt

[js007 795]

seems like anti government students trying to stir up trouble, not looking good right now, theres going to be inevitable trouble between reds and yellows/.

thinking my January trip might well be in serious doubt

 

I guess I don't get it. If Thailand is going to have a democracy, can't the large Red Shirt majority always elect one of their own?

[MM 6,562]

Yes they have done that in every election since Thaksin came to power.

Now the anti-government rabble is demanding the country be run by an unelected council of the rich and powerful.

They don't want democracy anymore, since they can't win.

 

Mobile posting

 

 

[groover 248]

They will not have a real democracy anyway because it's a network of the rich/powerfull that rules the country and not the government/political parties. Thailand is a pseudo-democracy and it will stay like that for a long time.

[pattaya_mad 208]

the last time the democrats won an election was way back in 1992. its truly sickening that they know they will never win one so the only was is to illegally overthrow an elected government

[goldeni 33]

Would it be normal for Thai Airways to re direct fights from Swampy to U-Tapao if Swampy is closed due to assholes err people exercising their democratic right to protest over a democratic election they don't agree with? Have booked my flight for early February and would not like to see it all fucked up due to these people!

Edited December 1, 2013 by goldeni

[pattaya_mad 208]

Would it be normal for Thai Airways to re direct fights from Swampy to U-Tapao if Swampy is closed due to assholes err people exercising their democratic right to protest over a democratic election they don't agree with? Have booked my flight for early February and would not like to see it all fucked up due to these people!

I would hope it will be all done and dusted long before then, its 10 weeks away, if it goes on that long the Thai economy will be on its knees

[BigDUSA 71]

Would it be normal for Thai Airways to re direct fights from Swampy to U-Tapao if Swampy is closed due to assholes err people exercising their democratic right to protest over a democratic election they don't agree with? Have booked my flight for early February and would not like to see it all fucked up due to these people!

When the airport was closed a few years ago. I was on the last Thai flight out of LAX. The pilot landed in U-Tapao. Only hassle was waiting for immigration people to arrive from BKK. I think we waited 60 0r 90 minutes.

[pattaya_mad 208]

I seem to remember EVA used UTapao, but I think they were the only ones

[DrPat 423]

On the minus side, BBC news is currently reporting a 10pm to 6am curfew in BKK.

 

On the plus side, when there have been similar problems in the past they tend not to last too long. Hopefully things will soon calm down.

[goldeni 33]

I know Bangkok Airways is based out of U-Tapao, as that's where I landed when I flew Bangkok Airways from Samui to Pattaya. And waiting 60 - 90 mins in for Customs and Immigration to arrive is better than being diverted to some other airport, or having flight cancelled altogether :)

[nkped 1,208]

When the airport was closed a few years ago. I was on the last Thai flight out of LAX. The pilot landed in U-Tapao. Only hassle was waiting for immigration people to arrive from BKK. I think we waited 60 0r 90 minutes.

 

 

I know Bangkok Airways is based out of U-Tapao, as that's where I landed when I flew Bangkok Airways from Samui to Pattaya. And waiting 60 - 90 mins in for Customs and Immigration to arrive is better than being diverted to some other airport, or having flight cancelled altogether :)

May be misreading D's post, but he seems to suggest the Thai flight was airborne when Suvarnabhumi was closed. If that was the case, it wouldn't be too surprising that the national carrier could get clearance from the Navy and immigration to land at Utapao. It would be interesting to know what happened with the next scheduled Thai flight to BKK out of LAX.

[sailingbill 1,025]

Even if Swampy is open, curfews can come in to play. I was enroute from Nrt-BKK when a curfew shut down travel at night . On exiting the plane we were handed a letter asking the police to allow us to travel to hotel or home. My driver was there waiting for me, had an an uneventful trip into Pattaya. Spent the night drinking in a SoI Diana beer bar with the lights off. Im back in Feb so it should be resolved but i wouldn't cancel a trip over it.

[BigDUSA 71]

BKK airport was closed before we left. Thai was unhelpful in rerouting other passengers with connecting flights through BKK. I'm not sure of this but I think Thai cancelled all future flights out of LAX till the airport reopened.

[cbrib 354]

The political situation looks like it will get worse before it gets better. The Thais have no understanding of what democracy really is just as neither side understands the difference between peaceful, legal protests, and local terrorism.

No one has a crystal ball so my advice is book your ticket as an open ticket or a fully refundable ticket. Still lots of time before you arrive, hopefully things will be calm by then!

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

Just read a report of two shooting deaths at one of the demonstrations.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/02/world/asia/thailand-protests.html?hpw&rref=world&_r=0

Edited December 2, 2013 by LadyDrinkKing

[CheshireTom 1,377]

The political situation looks like it will get worse before it gets better. The Thais have no understanding of what democracy really is ...

 

Aye ... if protesting was an Olympic sport, they'd be gold medal contenders every time.

[Gabor 296]

I seem to remember EVA used UTapao, but I think they were the only ones

 

Not the only ones... I arrived on UTapao with AEROSVIT ....

[Patna 3,802]

For what it's worth - I spent two days in BKK before going upcountry for the weekend. All the taxis told me that nobody's going to BKK not even buses which of course was not true. Evil gave me a referral and going to Sukhumvit was a breeze, actually easier than usual. There were no issues at all while I was there - of course my playground was very limited on sukh between Nana Plaza and soi 38 but even going in and out had no issues Just came back through BKK last night and I personally haven't experienced anything out of the ordinary while also watching the news and so on.

[js007 795]

For what it's worth - I spent two days in BKK before going upcountry for the weekend. All the taxis told me that nobody's going to BKK not even buses which of course was not true. Evil gave me a referral and going to Sukhumvit was a breeze, actually easier than usual. There were no issues at all while I was there - of course my playground was very limited on sukh between Nana Plaza and soi 38 but even going in and out had no issues Just came back through BKK last night and I personally haven't experienced anything out of the ordinary while also watching the news and so on.

 

Look on YouTube. Last night I saw some videos supposedly taken around Sukhumvit and/or Soi Nana. Barricades, tear gas, army guys with guns….

Looks like a mess.

[Patna 3,802]

Look on YouTube. Last night I saw some videos supposedly taken around Sukhumvit and/or Soi Nana. Barricades, tear gas, army guys with guns….

Looks like a mess.

 

I'll check it out but Sukhumvit is huge and it's hard to imagine the Nana area being involved in such action, I mean why?