Another bomb at the Don Muang airport and at least one, possibly three at the Suvarnabhumi terminal.
Ooops, I should have refreshed the page since last night…
Sam–go visit your Aunt…on the moon!
Go today!!
My husband and I are among the tourists stranded in Bangkok.
Our Krabi flight arrived on the 25th. We must have been one of the last flights to be able to land because the protesters were already swarming the airport. There were also lots of riot police, and all the taxi drivers we encountered were refusing to use the meter. They all wanted 700-1200 THB for a trip that normally costs around 200 THB on the meter. It took maybe 40 minutes for our shuttle bus to get out of the airport. Utter chaos.
This morning we found out that Jetstar have rescheduled our flight for the day after tomorrow, but that’s contingent on the airport being operational, which we’re not holding our breath on. The travel insurance provider says that if Jetstar don’t cover our accomodation/food costs, they will. But my husband and I have been away from home for 3 weeks, we’re both fighting off colds, and we really just want to go home. We’re also running out of clean clothes and prescription medication. We’ve been in and out of internet cafes, and talked to heaps of tourists who are in a similar situation to us.
The locals we talked to in Phuket and Krabi were furious at the PAD demonstrators because they depend on the high season to get them through the low season. Most people seem to agree with their aims but dislike their methods. If the newspapers and people we’ve talked to are any indication, public sentiment is definitely running against PAD.
I saw a woman on CNN who said that the exchange booth at the airport was closed so they didn’t have any money, the restaurants were closed, and they were dependent on the police and protestors for food. I think I heard that they’re evacuating the people who are stranded, but I’m very glad that my husband and I are in Bangkok rather than the airport.
Kayeby, I’m sorry to hear you have to put up with this mobs’ intransigence.
Very cheeky bastards those PAD people, sent out a press release saying how they where helping stranded passengers (all the fault of the government, it forced the to take the airport over), saying how they where providing food and water to them. :mad:
As of now there are some rumors of the army moving towards the airport, some people claim to have seen tanks.
The army chief is being asked to stage a coup but so far has refused.
More reports of troops around the city, the pro government crowd pledging to fight back. Not a good night to be out.
Well, I should be careful what I wish for. We were supposed to fly back in Bangkok today, but obviously, we’re stuck. We’ve pushed our return tickets back to the 30th in hopes that things MAY be moving by then, but we are not too hopeful right now.
Fortunately, Japan is a friendly place-- but it’s a bit expensive, and at this point, I too want to go “home”. There’s the additional factor that we were supposed to turn around and fly out on the 4th to go to the States, but it looks like we might not be able to get there…
Kayeby, I’m really sorry you’ve gotten caught up in this. If I were home I would offer you a place to stay…but I can’t exactly do that right now!
The naval airbase of U-Tapao is receiving international flights, I don’t know if you can get a plane from Japan to there though…
State of Emergency has been declared on the Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports. Presumably the police will try to disperse the protesters soon.
My stepson was due to fly to Spain today for his school’s exchange program. Which airline did they book a few months ago? Thai Air, of course, flying via Bangkok. Not going to happen. We thought they were going to be able to go via Chiang Mai, but no. Was looking dicey there for a while.
But Thai Air have been very good; they gave the kids absolute priority and off their own bat booked them on Korean Air via Inchon, thus avoiding all trouble spots. So only a few hours’ delay at worst, not too bad.
Nothing new so far. There was some kind of melee at the Don Muang airport last night, a little gunfire a couple explosions and then back to SNAFU. Protestors still occupying that airport and Suvarnabhumi. Some Pro/Con friction at Chiang Mai airport up North, one dead apparently.
I heard the Government is mobilizing air force and naval forces to the main airport to help in the situation; not the army since they have their own ideas.
Coup rumors have cooled down since last night, but the way the dispersal of the protestors go will probably dictate how things unfold.
Ale and FlyingRat, no worries! Our travel insurance is covering our hotel and food costs, and we’re starting to get over our colds, so at this stage we’re just enjoying our (almost) free vacation in Bangkok. At this stage the unrest is getting classed as civil disturbance which our travel insurance covers - if it changes to terrorism, then I don’t think we’re covered.
A couple of nights in our hotel and we’ll have gotten back the cost of our travel insurance. It’s a boutique hotel and we keep having to bounce between rooms since they’re starting to fill up.
The limit on food is $1000 AUD which is a total joke in Bangkok (unless I decide to dine at Le Normandie for a couple of nights I guess) My husband and I spent $7 AUD between the two of us last night and felt a bit stingy keeping the receipt, but it could add up depending on how long we’re stuck. I really don’t think we’re getting out of here tomorrow evening like Jetstar planned - even if the planes started up tomorrow there’s a huge backlog of people to deal with.
The receptionist at our hotel said that the Thai tourism authority were also offering compensation to travellers but she couldn’t get through to them this morning because the lines were busy.
At any rate we won’t be much out of pocket and have a couple of days to relax and fit in some extra shopping! We’re not getting much news here, though it doesn’t seem like everything will be resolved soon. I’m anticipating that Jetstar will offer flights out of Chiang Mai or Phuket, but the owner of our hotel said that the trains and buses out of Bangkok are full because everyone has the same idea.
There doesn’t seem to be much going on right now, I mean, nothing visible, I’m sure that behind doors and curtains the gears are spinning at high velocity.
There’s a possibility that the situation may be defused for the moment. On the other things could get very ugly if the red shirts (pro government) and yellow shirts (con) decide to slug it out on the streets.
The government and the police have taken a bold step and proceeded to do… absolutely nothing.
As it is now they are sitting on their hands while the protestors continue to occupy the airports.
Now that I see Sam coming back from the hospital I hope he can offer another point of view, and clear the fundamental question of wheter the live lesbian shows continue as normal or not. 
Back from my latest round of shoulder surgery in the hospital.
Kayeby, and Flying Rat too, sorry you’ve all been caught up in this. If there’s anyone worse than the PAD, it’s the blackhearted airport taxi drivers. When the tsunami hit four years ago, the ones in Phuket were charging astronomical prices to get survivors to the airport.
Not much I can add to what’s been posted here since I’ve been gone. Yes, tanks and armored vehicles were spotted on the streets of Bangkok the other day, but the army said it was for some sort of demonstration at a school or something like that; no telling what it really was about. The army dislikes the government, so they’ll be no help until there’s actual murder in the streets, which at this point the red-shirted government supporters are threatening against the yellow-shirted PAD; at least it will be a colorful massacre when it comes. The chief of police was sacked yesterday evening (Friday evening), presumably because he’s not moved against the PAD yet since being authorized to do so under the state-of-emergency decree. I’ve read 100,000 passengers have missed their flights in the last three days. CNN update here.
Kayeby, maybe you could try chartering a taxi to someplace like Phuket. It’s probably cheap by Aussie standards, maybe US100 to $200. I know you can get them to Pattaya and Hua Hin; Phuket’s a bit far, but if the price is right, they’ll do it. Otherwide, it sounds ike you’re safely ensconced.
My agents have been active while I was in the hospital and report the live lesbian shows are indeed intact. 
Phew! They’re renovating Suzie Wong Bar, so I recommend Sheba’s in Soi Cowboy in the meantime. Same owner, and that’s where the Suzie Wong girls have ended up in the meantime. Good way to while away the time while waiting for the airports to become unoccupied. Be there by 10:30pm, 10:15 just to be on the safe side.
Oops! I was thinking of Krung Thon Bridge, which crosses the river in Dusit district. Dusit Bridge itself must be over a canal or something elsewhere in the district. still not clear why anyone would want to bomb it, except just for grins.
Two explosions were reportedly heard early this morning near ASTV, an anti-government television station owned by one of the PAD leaders, but police could find no trace of anything. It’s been attacked before.
Oh Ho! And it looks like Bruce Willis may save the day according to this (satirical) website.
BREAKING NEWS on BBC: Some sort of police operation has just begun to clear out the protesters at both airports. More as I learn of it.