Gaybutton Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ 4 Bomb Attacks Rock Bangkok By The Nation At least four rounds of bomb attacks rocked Bangkok early Wednesday, injuring at least 12 people. The number of explosions and injuries was still confusing at press time. Three explosions were heard outside the outbound passenger terminal of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 4:30 am. The explosion sounds frightened the protesters as police vehicles rushed to the scene. The protesters feared that police would come to violently disperse them. But their leaders managed to calm them down minutes later. Thai PBS reported that four protesters were injured, two severely in the Suvarnabhumi explosions. The explosion at the Don Muang Airport, where protesters led by the Peoples Alliance for Democracy were rallying, happened at 6:30 am. The figure of injured protesters at Don Muang airport was still confusing. Channel 3 reported that two were injured but Channel 9 reported that five were injured, two severely. Channel 3 added that a grenade was also launched at the protesters but it did not explode. And 2 men were injured by bomb shrapnel and one was shot when a group of men hurled two bombs and fired at the 92.75 community radio station for taxi drivers. Police said the attack happened at 4:30 am. The station was located inside Vibhavadi Rangsit Soi 3 where dozens of PAD guards attacked taxi drivers Tuesday evening. A taxi driver, who identified himself as Watcharin, said he and friends were standing at the mouth of the soi and suddenly heard two explosions and the assailants also opened fire at them. The injured were rushed to the Rajvithi Hospital. The first explosion occurred on the Dusit Bridget in Bangkok's Dusit district at 2 am Wednesday, police said. No one was injured in the explosion which caused a small crack at one side of the bridge. Police found a safety pin of an M26 grenade at the scene. Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying they saw two men on a motorcycle speeding from the direction of the Government House. The pillion rider hurled the bomb to the bridge and they sped away. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 Just heard on TV here in Thailand that a "gang" of taxi drivers had attacked the PAD protesters blocking the airport. They are not happy about not being able to make a living! Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 26, 2008 Author Posted November 26, 2008 Just heard on TV here in Thailand that a "gang" of taxi drivers had attacked the PAD protesters blocking the airport. They are not happy about not being able to make a living! Has everybody gone nuts or something? Not only is all of this bound to hurt sympathy for the PAD, but it's going to cause chaos for the tourism industry, which can ill afford even more losses, especially right at the beginning of the major tourist high season. This is ruining the only chance this year for the tourism industry to recover from terrible economic blows. Unless people have good reason to come to Thailand, if I were someone living in another country and planning where to go on my holiday, it wouldn't be Thailand right now. As usual, nothing has changed anywhere, not even in Bangkok, except for the areas caught up in the chaos. In Pattaya, unless you're reading about it or watching it on television, you wouldn't know anything is going on at all. Everything is perfectly normal in Pattaya. Meanwhile, some taxi drivers who are losing business come up with tossing grenades at people? Good idea. If people are blocking your ability to get to the airport for fares, just blow them up . . . Quote
Guest topjohn5 Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 Well, I still want to come anyway.....but, I'm sure I am the exception.......if I can get in the country I will be there. I have a week before I have to leave the USA.....it could get better or a lot worse by then...... I love extreme sports.....does evading an angry mob or a bomb count as an extreme sport? Gee, I have a travel insurance policy with a terrorism clause.....never thought I would need to use it though! Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 26, 2008 Author Posted November 26, 2008 I still want to come anyway. And there's no reason why you shouldn't. Everything is fine here. Just make sure to contact your airline to make sure your flight will go. A week from now I expect the airport will be open. I can't imagine this situation lasting very long. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 Well, I still want to come anyway.....but, I'm sure I am the exception.......if I can get in the country I will be there. I have a week before I have to leave the USA.....it could get better or a lot worse by then...... I love extreme sports.....does evading an angry mob or a bomb count as an extreme sport? Gee, I have a travel insurance policy with a terrorism clause.....never thought I would need to use it though! If the airport in BKK is still closed when you are coming you can always fly into Chiang Mai and take the train down from there. Quote
Guest luvthai Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 They also have the option of routing some flights to the Pattaya airport. Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 27, 2008 Author Posted November 27, 2008 the Pattaya airport. Just to avoid confusion for those not familiar with the area, the airport you're referring to is the U-Tapao airport, about a 40 minute ride south of Pattaya. There is no actual Pattaya airport. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted November 27, 2008 Posted November 27, 2008 If the airport in BKK is still closed when you are coming you can always fly into Chiang Mai and take the train down from there Phuket International Airport is also a gateway option, although further from Bangkok. Quote
Guest laurence Posted November 27, 2008 Posted November 27, 2008 They also have the option of routing some flights to the Pattaya airport. Surely that airport could not handle a 747 or Airbus 330 or could it? Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted November 27, 2008 Posted November 27, 2008 Surely that airport could not handle a 747 or Airbus 330 or could it? The airport can handle just about anything flying...it was built by the US in the 60's and was used by B-52 and KC-135 tankers. The runway is plenty long and wide. BUT....the terminal is a whole different story. There are no gates to taxi up to...all flights park on the tarmack, and passengers are taken to the terminal by a small tram. It would be very diffucult to handle a large number of passengers, but probably not impossible. I can't be sure of this...but I don't believe there is any customs office to handle an international flight. Quote
Guest jtrack33 Posted November 27, 2008 Posted November 27, 2008 Runway lengths as measured from Google Earth: Suvanabhumi 4,100m Don Mueang 3,740m Utaphao 3,540 Chiang Mai 3,010 Udon Thani 2,990 Phuket 2,970 Phitsanulok 2,930 Khon Kaen 2,735 Hua Hin 1,990 So as jumbos are quite happy at Phuket, I am guessing only Hua Hin may be a no-no! The width and strength are another issue altogether! Quote
