Number of Stranded Travelers Could Reach 300,000

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The following appears in THE NATION:

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100,000 Passengers Miss Flights in 3 Days

 

By The Nation

Published on November 29, 2008

 

Nearly 100,000 passengers have missed flights since protesters shut down Bangkok's two main airports on Tuesday and the total could hit 300,000 as the shutdown continues, Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said yesterday.

 

"The total number could hit 300,000. When Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports are cleared, it will take 24 to 48 hours to verify aviation standards. It will take time to send people home," he said after a meeting with 14 airlines yesterday, including Japan Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and EVA Air.

 

The ministry will set up an emergency centre to help stranded travellers, whose number is estimated to be about 30,000 a day.

 

Four hotels will be chosen for airlines to operate check-in counters, where passengers can reschedule flights and pick up new tickets and be transferred by coach to U-tapao International Airport, 190km southeast of Bangkok. The centres are expected to start operating in the next 48 to 72 hours, the minister said.

 

TAT is to gather travellers' information. Those put in priority groups will be sent home first, while their baggage will be shipped on later flights.

 

Weerasak said the ministry would host a discussion with representatives of the Customs Department, the Immigration Department and related private and government agencies over additional assistance measures.

 

Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld expects no more than 10 aircraft - belonging to Thai Airways International, Nok Air and Bangkok Airways - to operate from U-tapao, as most aircraft and equipment are locked up at the two airports and can not be moved out. U-tapao will be useful for incoming flights, he said.

 

"We have no power to bargain for the aircraft as the government itself could not," he said. He also urged airlines with aircraft to extend help to other airlines' stranded passengers, to restore the tarnished image.

 

Nok Air CEO Patee Sarasin expects the airport shutdown to be extended, which is not good for any airline. Nok Air, which normally handles 2,000 passengers a day, is still selling advance tickets.

 

"This will affect our business plan next year, but I don't know how yet in the middle of chaos like this," he said.

 

Among stranded travellers are a group of 20 arts teachers from France who are now in Ubon Ratchathani. Traveller Alain Muni said protests were frequent in France and major venues had been shut down, but an airport had never been closed. While his visa is not a problem, he is concerned about extra expenses if he has to stay here for a long time.

 

Anti-government protesters seized Suvarnabhumi on Tuesday evening and Don Mueang on Thursday morning. Some 7,000 travellers were stuck at Suvarnabhumi when it was raided, more than double the figure given by airport authorities at the time, Weerasak said.

 

Tourism Authority of Thailand overseas offices are instructed to slow down their activities promoting air trips even if the airports reopen soon. TAT is ordered to focus more on trips on other transportation and encouraging more Thais to travel to compensate for the lower income from foreign travellers.

 

Hotels in Nakhon Ratchasima witnessed a 90-per-cent cancellation of hotel bookings from foreign travellers, mainly those from Europe who could not reach Thailand after Suvarnabhumi Airport was shut down.

 

Sawat Mangkornwat, chairman of the tourism business council in Nakhon Ratchasima, said travellers have lost confidence in safety following the shutdown of the airport.

 

They have switched to neighbouring countries like Cambodia and Malaysia.

 

If the problem is prolonged, the country's tourism and economy will suffer greatly and it could affect employment if business operators could not cope with expenses and needed to lay off workers. Now they are turning to local travellers through special packages. From the council's survey, tourism business in the province - involving hotels, restaurants and resorts - has lost Bt200 million so far.

 

"Both sides must retreat for the national interest. They must step back to end the problem, before the country's economy is battered even more," Sawat said.

 

He urged the prime minister to dissolve Parliament and the PAD to stop its protest. Ending the conflicts would restore tourist and investor confidence.

 

Kamphol Tansajja, director of Nong Nooch Garden in Pattaya, is fretting that foreign travellers may not return to Thailand, following news that Thailand is bracing for civil war, which could affect their safety.

 

He noted that his property suffered greatly during the Sars epidemic and the Persian Gulf War but survived due to support by Thai tourists. He also urged Thais to do the same thing this time.

[Guest fountainhall]

TAT is to gather travellers' information. Those put in priority groups will be sent home first, while their baggage will be shipped on later flights.

 

Yet another example of lunacy! Are they seriously going to have aircraft flying out of U-Tapao without luggage in the cargo space? Once the airports here are open, aircraft flying out will be 100% full for many days - perhaps weeks, How many of those aircraft will have any spare cargo space to take all that left-behind luggage? I suppose the TAT think people will happily wait 2 - 3 weeks before they see their personal possessions again.

 

Nearly 100,000 passengers have missed flights since protesters shut down Bangkok's two main airport

 

Let's assume that the numbers increase to 200,000 by the time this nonsense stops. How long is it going to take to get all of them home? That's more than 600 full 747-400s or 777-300s - yes, 600! Given that most scheduled flights out will already be relatively full, where is the Thai government going to find such a large number of charter planes and crews to get people to various parts of the world? And how many landing/take off slots are available to get these planes in and out? Even if they can find, say, 20 large aircraft and begin shuttling around the world, these are likely to make on average only 2 trips out a day split between long and short haul. That will take 15 days - minimum! This needs a red-hot team of expert aviation and mass-movement planners. Any idea where the government finds this in Thailand?

[Gaybutton]

Yet another example of lunacy!

 

I agree, although I suspect the stranded people will be happy to get home at all, with or without their luggage.

 

I have a feeling that by the time they get everyone out, they might as well apply for retirement visas.

 

Here's another fun thought: Suppose the PAD voluntarily leaves the airports. If something else takes place that they don't like, what's to prevent them from doing the same thing again?

 

[Guest GaySacGuy]

Does it appear that anyone is doing anything to end this crap??? The protestors seem to be all set up having a party all weekend...do any of these people have a job???

 

And this band of whatever ran off the police force quite easily. Hope they never get the idea that they can do this in some other countries.

 

GB Another for your list of only in Thailand.

[Gaybutton]

GB Another for your list of only in Thailand.

 

Actually, it's my "I Don't Get It" list, but much of what's going on definitely qualifies for the list.