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** Bryan **

 I am a expat of 12 years and I invited my mom and sister to Bangkok for my wedding with my Thai fiancee. Due to the PAD protest, my sister is no longer able to come, and my mom has had to fly to Singapore, where she will then fly to Phuket and take a 12 hour bus ride to Bangkok. My mom will miss our earlier Thai ceremony and the extra cost is over 25,000 Baht.  While I am thankful my mom can make it, I am angered that this has to happen and I am voicing my anger at PAD to anyone who will listen.

** Kurt Gruen,  Chiang Dao **

Hello, My name is Kurt Gruen.  My wife and I have just picked up our friend, James Curnew, from Chiang Mai.  He had to take a taxi to Chiang Mai, from the military airport near Bangkok, after arriving from Japan one day late.

He was in good spirits and said he didn't mind at all, sharing the taxi with two other travellers from the US.  It cost them 3000 Baht each.

After seeing a video and pictures of the violent attacks of the Government on October 7th 2008, against the peaceful PAD Protesters, he felt that is was nothing to be a little inconvenienced in his holiday, while helping to see this corrupt and violent government get defeated.

As for my wife, Mon and I, we were in Bangkok recently and attended the PAD rally at Government house.  We were made to feel very welcome, with many smiling faces and people offering us their seats and free food, water, etc. 

The site was very organized, with Pharmacies, medical tents, etc. set up and proper security, searching for bombs, weapons and alcohol.  (The site was alcohol free, as far as we could tell).

The peaceful PAD demostration seemed filled with people from all walks of life.  Many of whom are very good English speakers of high intelligence. 

So we apologize to any foreign travellers, who are inconvenienced by the airport closures and hope that you can forgive the PAD, who are putting their lives on the line every day, protesting to remove a violent and corrupt government.  Please try to make the best of the situation and try to enjoy your time here, while you are stuck.

The Government is offering free medicare for anyone stuck because of this and there will also be no overstay fines to worry about.  The government is also offering 2000 Baht per day to stranded travellers.

Please be supportive of the PAD, even though you may be greatly inconvenienced.  This is probably one of the longest peaceful civil disobedience movement ever.  The PAD has protested peacefully for over 6 months now. 

Please keep your comments polite two and show respect to our Thai Monarchy.  People on both sides (except for a very small minority) love their king and are very disturbed by negative comments that have been made against our great Monarchy. 

His Royal Highness will celebrate his 81st Birthday on December 5th.  Please help it to be a positive event 

** Dieter Bofinger **

A business partner from Germany was on his way to Bangkok on November 27. His plane was not able to land in Bangkok and had to head for Kula Lumpur. He was stacked their and the scheduled meeting in the Eastern Seaboard had to be cancelled. This sends an extremely dangerous sign to the outside. If things are getting out of control, laws are not obeyed anymore, the industry and food suppliers can not export anymore, tourists fear about the instability than the country is on it's way down.

All sides shouldn't talk that they are acting for the best of the country if the people suffer because of the consequences of their doing. If the outside has to consider that Thailand is going to end up in chaos (it started already to be that way) the international money, the foreign industry and tourists will stay away. Can anyone of the involved parties imagine what that means for Thailand - the country will be pulled back 20 or 30 years. Huge number of jobs will disappear in the tourist industry, an even bigger number in the export industry (mainly automotive) and consequently many shops will go down and more people are leaving their job and income. If a society is incapable to come up with compromises than it will simply die. The damage for the country is already enourmes, shall it come to the point of no return? All say no coup anymore, but do the conflict parties leave any alternative?

Thailand wake up, you have already lost your image of the country of smile, what else do you want? It doesn't take long to destroy everything which has been built up within the last 30 years. Face it, the country has been developed with foreign money, outside experts and a huge number of tourists. It is for sure already that the number of tourists will decrease dramatically in 2009 with all the consequences for the jobs. The automotive industry is already dramatically effected by the world wide crisis, but it seems to be not enough for Thailand. Does it has to ruin the country before it comes to a halt? Thailand wake up, you are standing on the brink of disaster.

Consider your Buddhist background and the lessons from Buddha, which seemed to be completely forgotten. You all go to the negotiation table and settle your conflict in a peaceful and acceptable way if you are really doing it for the good of the country. Don't talk about democracy if you are not willing to accept given laws and institutions, this applies for both sides. It is a drama to sit there and see this going to a point of no return.

Think about your competitors in the area. You are surrounded by them and they will easily take over the industry which may leave Thailand because of it's uncertain future.

No one will invest or spend vacation in a country which is unstable the way Thailand is since quite a while. For what do you wait? No one will win - all will loose this way, is that to difficult to understand?

Don't wake up one morning and see your country going bankrupt and blame the outside. It is all your responsibility and none of others outside Thailand!

There is no time left to return to a civilised way since the damage to the country is already unspeakable. 

 ** pes911 **

The events of Tuesday November 25 th will be etched in Thai history not just because of the seizure of the airport by a mob representing the PAD, but also because it was the day when Thai Airways, as the Nation's flag carrier displayed a complete irresponsibility towards it's paying customers. 

On that night I flew from Phuket to Suwanabumi arriving at 10pm, with an onward connection to Europe ,. When the plane docked at the sky bridge all seemed normal. The Thai aircraft were all docked at Gates C and E as usual awaiting boarding for the long flights to Europe and Australia.

On arriving at the airport the duty free shops were being closed and a staff of one of the outlets advised me that there was 'a mob outside the airport'. When I reached the Thai Airways lounge it was business as ususal .It was only when Thai Airways flights started to come up on the TV displays as delayed and then one by one canceled that passengers began to=2 0understand the gravity of the situation. 

All the other airlines continued to take off and it became clear that Thai had decided very early on to close their operations for the night. The transit desks were deserted and the passengers were left to themselves. I was fortunate to be able to have access to the lounge which was manned by a small number of staff who did their best to take care of us. 

When the sun came up on Wednesday I was amazed to see that the gates at C and E which had been full with Thai airways aircraft the previous night were now empty. These aircraft had either been flown out empty by Thai or parked somewhere out of sight, I suspect it is the former. 

The rest is documented, we were all herded out 15 hours after the initial occupation by the PAD to through immigration, baggage and customs with appalling organization. We stood for almost tw o hours outside the arrivals area in the heat with the PAD singing three levels up and with PAD supporters looking down on our plight. A grenade could easily have been hurled causing carnage.

The exodus was shambolic, no organization whatsoever. My feeling is that Thai Airways demonstrated its support for the PAD by leaving it's paying passengers in a lurch, with no security, no care for their safety and zero organization. Thai, you are a disgrace, I have flown you for 20 years and will never fly with you again. Shame on you!

**

Thailand deserved outright economic collapse. After 4 days stranded and 80,000 baht later, I finally made it to Phuket airport. I needed to get back to Bangkok to run my business which pays large taxes and hires a handful of Thai employees. Expecting to be welcomed and helped back to Bangkok - I, and hundreds of others were thrown to the mercy of the well-known Phuket airport mafia. After being massively inconvenienced for days, I was forced to haggle for both exchange rates and transport back to Bangkok.

Is this how Thailand treats its tourists and foreign investors? Leaving them at an international airport to haggle like a watch buyer at Patpong Market? It is clear to me now - Thailands wealth with tourism in the past has been luck... A dead peak-season, ailing economy and a polarised people are what Thailand DESERVES.

I get sick to the stomach whenever I see advertisements of friendly thai people, waiing and dancing traditional songs. The bottom line is this - Thais will rip off foreigners and Thais alike at any chance they can get. This will never change as long as those in charge are being paid off. This is the UNSEEN THAILAND.

** Wanwisa Kisalang **

I had the original flight booking to Thailand since Nov 26, 08 in order to go to visit friends and family.  I haven't been back home about 5 years already since I have moved to Seattle. I have been calling the airlines company everyday to reschedule the flight day by day.

Until now Dec 1, I am still in Seattle, cannot leave yet. I have only 2 weeks of my vacation, I already wasted 4 days and maybe more. So I cannot wait anymore, I will try to get the flight which will go to our neighbor countries such Singapore or Hong Kong, then I think I may have a chance to catch the flights back to Thailand easier. This will cost me more money to for the extra ticket.

My mom is so sad and so worried that I may not be able to go back home this year. I have not seen my nephew since he was 2 years old, I hope he still recognize me as his aunty. 

I do not see or hear anything about Thai government try to help out Thai people who want to go back to Thailand. I used to be so proud to be Thai, but now it is so embarrassed when people ask me about what happening right now.  Our leaders are so weak and irresponsible. 

I really hope that I could go home soon, wish the situation will be improved soon too. 

** Michael Breeze ** 

I was due to return to Bangkok from Hong Kong last week on Emirates following a two week trip to Hong Kong and China.

Emirates were a little slow at providing information on its website but finally did so but the information was both limited and unclear.  It would have been clearer had it divided the information into three parts, one dealing with travel from Dubai to Bangkok (where it offered Singapore or Kuala Lumpur as alternatives to Bangkok), another dealing with Bangkok to Hong Kong where there were no solutions other than to have to wait for the reopening of Bangkok airport and another dealing with Hong Kong to Bangkok where there were no solutions other than to have to wait for the reopening of Bangkok airport. Worse still the Emirates office and telephone reservation system only works Mondays to Fridays in Hong Kong.

In the event I thought I would see if Cathay Pacific could accommodate me on one of their special flights from Hong Kong to U-Tapao and to my surprise they offered me seats on 1st December for the next day for the cost of HK$ 1100 per person.  Cathay Pacific immediately sent an email with full details and subsequently telephoned me to check whether I had received the email. Full marks to Cathay Pacific.

Emirates have merely said that no special arrangements are being made for their Hong Kong/Bangkok passengers, which I estimate to be at least 100 per flight, the estimate based on numbers embarking from the flight which i use quite often.

So I shall be arriving in U-Tapao on Tuesday.

Guess which airline I shall be using on my next visit to Hong Kong! //Michael Breeze, Nonthaburi, Thailand

** Axel **

My story is probably the most unspectacular story there is!

I was on a trip back from Jakarta with a stop over in Singapore on Saturday. I wanted to go back to my family in Bangkok and to some work, too. I thought that Utapo and the Southern Airports would be to busy, train to long, etc. So I decided to take a flight from Singapore to Chiang Mai on Sunday.

Chiang Mai airport was almost empty. I wanted to check with Thai Ticketing for options and went to the counter there. Having 3-4 Foreigners in front of me, being unusually happy for foreigners (I assume they found a good way home) and a Thai women strongly complaining to a Thai hostess making her cry.

I thought by myself, how much grief this costs people everywhere. I really felt sorry for that TG officer there and what ever it was, I am sure it was not her fault. While I speak Thai, I was not close enough to hear the conversation though. I made a point to be very friendly and asked another TG officer for any option this night and she said flights to Utapao only on Stand By.

Anyway, TG had no good choices. I thought about trying the Train to Bangkok or Bus, but then figured I best drive (my original thought since before the weekend). I rented a car and drove down an almost empty high way from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. I was home around Midnight and it went much fast then I thought.

It was actually a good trip and I am planing to take care to drive up north, but during day time to see the beautiful environment.

That's it! A collegue of miny just right now, showed me the moon over Bangkok: Very funny. It has two stars and the moon are looking like a smiley : )

What does this tell us?

** Andreas Oberleitner **

I am foreigner living in Bangkok for six years now.I operate a small business for luxury tours in Thailand. Unfortunately, we have received cancellations from all our customers for all current bookings. This will put us out of business now.

The consequesnces of this fact will be:

- we will have to let go our five Thai employees

- we will resigne from our office contract and the landlord will lose a paying customer

- we will no longer need our accountant, the accounting company will lose a client

- we will no longer need our lawyer and legal consultant, they will also lose a client

- we will no longer need our marketing company who is doing our website and brochures. They also will lose a client.

- and last: we will no longer bring tourists to Thailand whcih means less hotel bookings, less consumption at restaurants, less spending on spas and golf courses, less sightseeing, less shopping and less recommendations from returning customers.

This is just to sum up how this very tragic situation is not only hurting tourism, it really affecs all other industries as well.

I feel deeply sorry for the millions of people who will lose their jobs and I am very sad that I will now have to leave Thailand after having invested over 10 million Baht in my business.

Furthermore, I truly hope that people will understand and realize the sever effects and that the people who have caused it will be held accountable for the damage.

It is still absolutely unbelievable for me how a group of people cann terrorize an entire nation in such a drastic way and noone has the power or the courage to stop this and to bring the country back on track.

** Salam Alaik ** 

I had my share of the impact of the closure of Survanabumi Airport in Bangkok. My flight back from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur on 30th November 2008 was routed to U-Tapao Airport almost 190km away from my Hotel.

I woke up at 4am to start packing my stuff, at around 8am i was already at U-Tapao Airport, the journey from my hotel took nearly 2 hours, although previous reports mentioned that it can take up to 4hrs depending on the Traffic. It cost me 2000 Baht for this trip (thanks to Kun Nuch that help arranged this travel trip)

When i arrive there are already thousands of people crowding the entrance, it is chaotic, there is just no information, no body to provide or address information, this is at 8am I cannot imagine what is going to happen when the sun is out and everybody is tried.

After waiting for several hours, we managed to get some information by combining notes from other travellers. First you have to wait outside here, unless you are Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airline you go to the counter at the next building.

You have to wait for your airline to be called before allowing entering the building, if you queue up and your airline is not being called the guards is going to throw you out of the door. After several hours of waiting, then Finally "Malaysian Airlines" was called, so I with a few found friend starting to queue.

Once inside the building, you are suppose to get you check in luggage x-ray. Here is confusion; there is only one x-ray machine to serve the thousand of luggage. They first called Malaysian Airline, then they called Aerofloat. So imagine the both of the airline passenger trying to get their baggage x-ray some of the pictures inside the waiting area. It is not a big airport.

** Stranded Passenger 25 November **

Hello, I am a female Canadian Citizen who has been stranded in Chiang Mai since November 26 due to the airport closure. This is my first trip to Thailand, and my first experience travelling overseas. I have been travelling completely on my own during my stay here.

At first the airport closure didn't concern me much. I was more concerned for the people trapped in the airport than the situation I was in. But, as tensions seem to rising each day I am growing more and more concerned.

Although I am not in Bangkok, it has not made my chances of leaving any better. For the first couple days I didn't even have the option to fly to neighbouring countries because all Thai airlines weren't flying period. So I was told. I could take a bus, but this would provide for almost 24 hours of travel, and being a solo female traveller in the wake of a country in crisis, my family was very uneasy about this option. For my own safety my best option was to stay put and hope it all blows over.

My airline failed to notify me, as promised, that they had allowed for free re-routing from select neighboring Countries. By the time I had figured it out, my best option was to wait another week as there were no seats available on any airlines. I was very grateful to have a local Thai travel agent help figure out a way home, and she exhausted all of her resources. We tried everything from flying to Singapore to booking an entirely new flight to either Canada or the United States.

I'm still having a hard time understanding why people, like me, who have been stuck here since the beginning of the airport closure are having to re-book at a first come first serve basis. I feel as though more should be being done to get all of us home and to our families.

This situation is very frustrating for me. I am upset that I can't get home to my family and boyfriend who I left behind 3 months ago. And, I'm upset that although I have been informed the TAT is going to help with accommodations and food, there are restrictions and can they can not help me at all because I have a new flight booked home. Although things are relatively cheap for me in Thailand, I do not have a source of income right now and can not afford to stay here much longer.

I feel as though there should be more financial help available than there is, and hotels should consider giving stranded passengers free accommodation. Doing so would not only re-confirm the kindness of Thais, but will help re-assure that the stranded passengers will leave feeling like they were looked after during a very frightening time.

Which will increase the chances that they will go home and tell their friends and family of the hotel and the possibility that they or their friends will return to Thailand and stay at theses hotels.

Being someone who worked in the Tourism Industry in my own Country I know how vital it is for Thailand to keep up their rapport during such an devastating blow to their economy. The best way that the industry can bounce back is by being understanding and forgiving to passengers. Offering free accommodation to travellers who have been here since they beginning will help the industry a great deal. I will say that the staff at my hotel have been very kind, but have been instructed that they can not offer to give me free accommodation or even a discount for that matter.

I am growingly increasingly concerned for the situation in Bangkok, all the people in and around that area and how this could all end. I hope for the sake of your Country and the safety of everyone, that it ends in a peaceful manner and as soon as possible.

All of this aside, all of my stress and worries and fear aside, I love Thailand. My journey here has been an incredible experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. The situation in Bangkok right now is very unsettleing, but I would like all Thais to know that this has not ruined my impression on your Country.

It has put a damper on my travels home, and made things more difficult in this manner, but it has not put your Country on my bad list in anyway. I wish there was more being done in order to get us all home, but I want you to know I will come back to Thailand someday. I can assure you that.

** Faizlyiana A. A, Studzinski **

I am a Singaporean and my husband is German. My husband was supposed to fly back to Singapore last Friday to be with me.

And together, we will head back to Bangkok by end December. Now, I have no idea when my husband and I will see each other again. It's very worrying. I am always checking Nation's breaking news every 5 minutes.

It's been a week and I am still waiting for AirAsia to contact me and announce a rescue plan out of Bangkok for my husband. There is only one flight out of U-Tapao daily.

I have Thai friends here who are also frustrated as they are not able to return home. I would like to say:

1) PAD, you have demonstrated that the government is useless. Perhaps congrats to you.

2) However, PAD you besieging the airport is no different than hijacking a plane.

3) There are thousands of people, whose lives you have affected due to the airport siege

4) And thousand or million more people whose lives you may have already destroyed as they will lose their jobs.

Proving the government is inept is one thing, but please open your eyes and also see the consequences of YOUR action. I hope to see my husband again. I hope Thailand would be a land of smiles again, for the people's sake, for the King, for the economy and for the whole world.

Thank you Nation for this space to have my voice heard. 

** Tourists from Russia (Natalia Mouravieva, Marina Sapoznikova, Vitaly Saprikin) **

I would like to tell our sotry about stranded becouse of the crisis in Thailand.

My friends and i came to Thailand to travel to its beautiful north part, to visit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and then go to south. We have arrived to Thialand on November 20th and then traveled alot around the Thailand's north part. On November 26th we were supposed to fly from Chiang Rai airport to Bangkok and further to Krabi to pick our friend who was supposed to come from Moscow but  didn't and get a rest after a nice travelling.

Unfortunately, once we have arrieved to the airport in Chiang Rai, we found out that our flight and all otheres were canselled. We didn't even thing that it could last for long, and just rebook our flights with airasia for the next day. Anyway, when we red the news obout PAD at the airport we were shoked that something like this could ever happen in such a great country.

We started thinking about the way we get to Krabi, and what we shpuld do now. All our summer  clouth( swimmig suits, shorts, etc) were left for safety in baggage service once we arrived at the Bangkok's airport on November 20th, and wich we were suppoused to pic up when we go transit from Chiang Rai to Krabi.

But since no flights were done, we had to take a bus at Chiang Rai and go to Bangkok in a hope that it will be opend by our arrival in 12 houres. Well, it was not. So we didn't have a cahnse to recieve our bags which we realized since the airport was occupided and the roads were blocked, and we decieded to go to Krabi by bus, without bags with our summer cloths, which took us 12 more hourse.

That is a really bad feeling that we cannot do what we have planned long before our travel to Thailand.  Anyway, our back flight to Russia is on November 9 th We have airasia tickets to Bangkok and than on 10th Thai airlines to Moscow.

Now we feel very frustrated about what is going on in Bangkok and wondering why there is no mesurues are taken by the Government and politicians. Even know that every day cost millions dollars for Thailand! Do people of this county will be able to afford it? Too bad that the tourism rate will defenitly go down. What does Government think about it?

Well, as for us, we are worried about getting back home on time. Moreover, our warm clouth  fur coats, boots. hats- everything in Bangkok!!! and in Russia it is now 20 degrees bellow zero. We really hope, that the crises will be solved and measures were taken, Thailand stops loosing money from this mess and all people will get the places they planed!

Besides, Thailand should think about building one more international airport in a case smth like that crices repets.

Thank you very much for your attention. Would be nice if some of those PAD's could have the feelling that they are rounig first off all their's country economy and reputation!

 ** Matthew Cole **

My name is Matthew Cole, I am the managing director of a publishing company here in Bangkok. I cannot vent enough frustration about the PAD and the attitudes of many people towards them. Whatever their  cause, Thaksin, Samak, Somchai, the constitution, what they are doing  now is causing damage to Thailand on an unprecedented level.

A keen photographer, I have visited the Government House and Bangkok  airport on several occasions. I cannot understand why the local and  international media have not drawn more attention to the illegal activities of the PAD. I have numerous photographs and video of PAD guards with a range of hand weapons (knives, clubs, bats with spikes). 

Many carry guns. On a recent visit to the Bangkok airport, I witnessed  one PAD guard with an SLR rifle. On one occasion, he fired 5-6 shots from the rifle because he thought he saw police approaching. In Australia, where I am from, this is attempted murder. Should any of the shots hit and killed their target, it would be murder. I also have  grave fears for any police or others that attempt to evict the PAD. 

Lining the Rama 9 Road entrance to the airport are dozen of cases of molotov cocktails. The entire road stinks of petrol.Whether it be the army, police or Mr Somchai himself, there is an obligation to remove the PAD from the airports as soon as possible.

Perhaps even more importantly, the PAD should never have been allowed to take over one of the biggest international airports in the world.

There activities are clearly illegal and have invaded the rights of Thai people and foreign tourists. I would like to end by describing how the airport closures have affect me and my business.

My bother, and business partner, was in Brunei at the time the airports closed. He was forced to pay for a new flight via Royal Brunei Air to Singapore. He then spent 3 nights in Singapore waiting for the situation in Bangkok to change.

Upon hearing that the airports could be closed for some time, he purchased a one way ticket to Phuket for about 5 times the usual fare. From Phuket he took a car for 10,000B to Bangkok. The whole trip taking almost a week.

We are an educational book publishing company and usually send and  receive many packages from the Asia region each week. All of these have stopped and work is almost at a standstill.

Another friend of  mine is a clothes exporter. In a recent telephone conversation to me,  he mentioned that he may now have to close as he has been unable to send any order overseas and has lost many loyal customers.

Perhaps someone can explain to the expatriate community how such as  disaster could occur. I think it is no longer a case of whether you do or do not support the PAD. They have clearly crossed the line. Next  year the true damage of their actions will be known.

PAD, shame on your for destroying your own country. Mr Somchai, find a  way out of this mess immediately.

** Chachawal Orchid **

Our company can not export agricultural products to our customers world wide.  The Gowers had no market to sell their products.  Since most of products are grown on contract base with our company and serve to cusotmer in foreign countries.

Any conflict should be solved soonest.  The protesters were not wrong to protest the goverment but I think they used wrong place.  The Internation Airport is a door of country.  Closed the airport means shut down Thai economy.

I hope that PAD will leave from the airport before Dec 4.

** Daniel Cole **

Thailand deserved outright economic collapse. After 4 days stranded and 80,000 baht later, I finally made it to Phuket airport. I needed to get back to Bangkok to run my business which pays large taxes and hires a handful of Thai employees.

Expecting to be welcomed and helped back to Bangkok - I, and hundreds of others were thrown to the mercy of the well-known Phuket airport mafia. After being massively inconvenienced for days, I was forced to haggle for both exchange rates and transport back to Bangkok.

Is this how Thailand treats its tourists and foreign investors? Leaving them at an international airport to haggle like a watch buyer at Patpong Market? It is clear to me now - Thailands wealth with tourism in the past has been luck... A dead peak-season, ailing economy and a polarised people are what Thailand DESERVES.

I get sick to the stomach whenever I see advertisements of friendly thai people, waiing and dancing traditional songs. The bottom line is this - Thais will rip off foreigners and Thais alike at any chance they can get. This will never change as long as those in charge are being paid off. This is the UNSEEN THAILAND.

**  Dieter Bofinger **  

A business partner from Germany was on his way to Bangkok on November 27. His plane was not able to land in Bangkok and had to head for Kula Lumpur. He was stacked their and the scheduled meeting in the Eastern Seaboard had to be cancelled. This sends an extremely dangerous sign to the outside. If things are getting out of control, laws are not obeyed anymore, the industry and food suppliers can not export anymore, tourists fear about the instability than the country is on it's way down.

All sides shouldn't talk that they are acting for the best of the country if the people suffer because of the consequences of their doing. If the outside has to consider that Thailand is going to end up in chaos (it started already to be that way) the international money, the foreign industry and tourists will stay away. Can anyone of the involved parties imagine what that means for Thailand - the country will be pulled back 20 or 30 years.

Huge number of jobs will disappear in the tourist industry, an even bigger number in the export industry (mainly automotive) and consequently many shops will go down and more people are leaving their job and income. If a society is incapable to come up with compromises than it will simply die. The damage for the country is already enourmes, shall it come to the point of no return? All say no coup anymore, but do the conflict parties leave any alternative?

Thailand wake up, you have already lost your image of the country of smile, what else do you want? It doesn't take long to destroy everything which has been built up within the last 30 years. Face it, the country has been developed with foreign money, outside experts and a huge number of tourists. It is for sure already that the number of tourists will decrease dramatically in 2009 with all the consequences for the jobs.

The automotive industry is already dramatically effected by the world wide crisis, but it seems to be not enough for Thailand. Does it has to ruin the country before it comes to a halt? Thailand wake up, you are standing on the brink of disaster.

Consider your Buddhist background and the lessons from Buddha, which seemed to be completely forgotten. You all go to the negotiation table and settle your conflict in a peaceful and acceptable way if you are really doing it for the good of the country.

Don't talk about democracy if you are not willing to accept given laws and institutions, this applies for both sides. It is a drama to sit there and see this going to a point of no return.

Think about your competitors in the area. You are surrounded by them and they will easily take over the industry which may leave Thailand because of it's uncertain future. No one will invest or spend vacation in a country which is unstable the way Thailand is since quite a while. For what do you wait? No one will win - all will loose this way, is that to difficult to understand?

Don't wake up one morning and see your country going bankrupt and blame the outside. It is all your responsibility and none of others outside Thailand!

There is no time left to return to a civilised way since the damage to the country is already unspeakable.

** Rakesh Kapoor, Managing Director, Summit Information Technologies Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India ** 

I am a regular business visitor to Bangkok but I'll not forgive your country's Govt for the experience I had last week. I reached Bangkok Svarnabhumi airport on a Thai Airways flight on Monday 24th November morning as usual and went about with my work for next 2 days. I was to return back to New Delhi on 27th November, but on 25th night I heard the news of Airport closure. I assumed that Thai Govt will act swiftly and restore the order in a few hours.

But to my surprise, nobody did anything. Your PM could not land at Bangkok and was playing golf on Saturday in Chiang Mai while Bangkok was boiling and hundreds of thousands of foreigners were suffering in your country with our families back home even more worried about our safety and health.

Thai Airways was least helpful. Despite spending hours in Thai office on 3 consecutive days, they could not assure us how and when they intend to send us out of the country. I gave them the option to fly me out to any destination outside Thailand, but Thai Air was least equipped and unconcerned.

Indian Govt was finally able to evacuate me to Mumbai on an Air India flight on Sunday 30th November. While doing that I had to spend more than 10 hours at U-Tapao airport trying to get myself and my baggage on the plane. The experience resulted in a severe back strain coupled with hyper-tension that will take a few days of medication and rest to cure and recover from.

How can Thai Govt let this happen? You're not a banana republic! How can Thai people do this to foreigners who have always loved to come to your country despite The tsunami that they faced a few years back?

** Swede  ** 

PAD is no better than that footbollhulligans they destroyed Thailands reputation for a very long time and make many Thaipeople to lose job and chanse to earn money.

** maaaadddd **

By following PADs reasoning in their struggle for 'democracy' all countries should open their public transport system up for a bombing or two or a hijacking or whatever really whenever those who dont make the decisions or feel marginalised get annoyed and have no political legitimacy (ie they have not been elected by anyone). Wot you say? So we should just let terrorists run riot - after all they want their own version of government as well. I dont see the difference to be frank. 

** A frequent traveller **

Thailand is creating more problems for them. I was planning to transit through Bangkok by Thai Airways.... No more Thai for me, I will try to avoid this airline in the future because of the internal political problems..  Delete  

** inside out  ** 

We have been stranded outside the country for two days - we have only just gotten a ticket for the one and only flight back home today. What PAD are doing is against everything that we have ever worked for, democracy, equality, freedom. They are closing the country and hurting everyone in it and calling it our duty to sacrefice for them and their ideals. It begs the question as to why nobody is able to touch them. les majeste what?  Delete  

** Alesik  **

At our own expense, we took a train from BKK to Chiang Mai two nights ago and made it out with no problems this morning on a China Airlines flight to Taipei. There were empty seats on the 747. PLEASE, if you are as frustrated as I was...consider going north. I am now at home. The cost of the flight may be worth your peace of mind.

** tg gold **

The events of Tuesday November 25th will be etched in Thai history not just because of the seziure of the airport by a mob representing the PAD, but also because it was the day when Thai Airways, as the Nation's flag carrier displayed a complete irresponsibility towards it's paying customers.

On that night I flew from Phuket to Suwanabumi arriving at 10pm, with an onward connection to Europe,. When the plane docked at the sky bridge all seemed normal. The Thai aircraft were all docked at Gates C and E as usual awaiting boarding for the long flights to Europe and Australia.

On arriving at the airport the duty free shops were being closed and a staff of one of the outlets advised me that there was 'a mob outside the airport'.

When I reached the Thai Airways lounge it was business as ususal.It was only when Thai Airways flights started to come up on the TV displays as delayed and then one by one canceled that passengers began to understand the gravity of the situation.

All the other airlines continued to take off and it became clear that Thai had decided very early on to close their operations for the night. The transit desks were deserted and the passengers were left to themselves.

I was fortunate to be able to have access to the lounge which was manned by a small number of staff who did their best to take care of us. When the sun cam up on Wednesday I was amazed to see that the gates at C and E which had been full with Thai airways aircraft the previous night were now empty. These aircraft had either been flown out empty by Thai or parked somewhere out of sight, I suspect it is the former.

The rest is documented, we were all herded out 15 hours after the initial occupation by the PAD to through immigration, baggage and customs with appalling organization. We stood for almost two hours outside the arrivals area in the heat with the PAD singing three levels up and with PAD supporters looking down on our plight. A grenade could easily have been hurled causing carnage. The exodus was shambolic, no organization whatsoever. My feeling is that Thai Airways demonstrated its support for the PAD by leaving it's paying passengers in a lurch, with no security, no care for their safety and zero organization. Thai, you are a disgrace, I have flown you for 20 years and will never fly with you again. Shame on you!

** st  **

i was the few fortunate ones who managed to get out of Bangkok before the airport was fully closed. my flight on tuesday was at 6:30pm. when the taxi i was in reached reached near to the airport, we suddenly realised we were in a middle of a massive traffic jam. the protestors have started closing the road to the airport. you can see poor tourists getting off the taxis and dragging their luggages along as they raced on their feet to the airport. I had to alight from the taxi and dragged my bags and made my way across a very busy road to get to the other side and somehow some taxis was bringing people into the airport via another route. but there were many men carrying steel rods shouting at the tourists to get into the taxis. the drivers were charging high prices. 100 baht for less than 5 min's drive. shortly after my flight has departed, the airport was closed. There is certainly no more smiles in the Land of Smiles...at least for the stranded tourists.  Delete  

** stevey **

I too need to attend business meetings in Singapore and Australia...for me its a 12 hour bus to Hat Yai then 3 hours to Penang before getting a flight.....thanks PAD for your ignorance  

** Kimba  ** 

I am reading that many countries are sending planes in to get thier people out . How come the U.S is not sending planes? How come they are not reporting this crises on the news over here? We want our people to come home too.

** Thai fresh producer **

Our company can not export agricultural products to our customers world wide. The Gowers had no market to sell their products. Since most of products are grown on contract base with our company and serve to cusotmer in foreign countries.

Any conflict should be solved soonest. The protesters were not wrong to protest the goverment but I think they used wrong place. The Internation Airport is a door of country. Closed the airport means shut down Thai economy. I hope that PAD will leave from the airport before Dec 4.  Delete  

** pippo **

I go struck in Shanghai for 2 days. Took 20 hours to come back. Shanghai - Kunming - Vientiane and than Vientiane to Bangkok by road. All the customers planning to visit us during the month of december they cancel their trip. What PAD has been doing is just the tip of the iceberg of their unlawful actions carried on for few months now.

It is a huge crisis on the institutions and it will take years to recover. PAD should learn the positive point of the PPP and make their own political platform and contest the election, rather than being a ruthless gang of thugs and try to achieve their goal by destroying the country and creating hardship to the Thai and foreign people.

** GeGe  **

Hello from Stuttgart / Germany What a mess... need to fly to Lampang or ChiangMai, but no flight, no connection... all flights to Phuket now and no connection flight to the North... so suck!  Delete  

** bkk resident farang  **

Got stuck in Indonesia, not being able to return to my family living in Bangkok. It took me 22 hours to get from Jakarta to Bangkok, after not being to take my flight as scheduiled. I feel sad to see that Thailand is dropping to the list of most dangerous countries.

I am seriously thinking of relocating my family asap as the situation is progressing. Permanent damage to Thailand, as the Land of Smiles, is on the agenda to come. Anarchy is just a step away and i hope that authorities step up and take charge of the situation.

Blockade the Government, block airports, what is next? Riots, civil war? PAD is obviously allowed to block major airports, thus holding people against their will, thus holding them hostage in order to get the government to step down........... Land of Smiles turning into Land of riots and violence? 

* nothappy ** 

Our travel company is losing lots of money because of this insanity. This is our peak earning season and if you have not noticed the world is in an economic crisis! We will not be returning to Thailand soon and neither will any of our customers nor will our staff that had to be let go because of the losses PAD has inflicted on us. If you have political issues keep them out of the airport and in the places of government (which is not an airport). If all the leaders of PAD had clean hands they would not be behaving so badly.

** a sad hotelier **

What do you want us to share more !!! the damage is done and the business is gone !!! do all these "well educated politicians" think about the consequences ??? as usual people do first and think after !!! they all need a real kick in the ... s they will not be able to wlk for the next 2 years , and please do not point fingers on farangs again, this time you have to blame yourself a hotelier who will have to move with his family good luck and enjoy your dream

** christao ** 

I've had several guests stuck here and many friends and guests unable to get into Thailand because of this mess. As a resident foreigner and business owner, I don't claim to understand Thai politics and won't insert my opinion about whether the red side or yellow side is in the right, but I can tell you this: both sides are ruining things for the 92% of the country who are stuck in the middle.

Taking the capital's airports hostage for a week (or more!) is insane. Failing to do anything to stop the situation or resolve it is equally crazy. It is like a race to the bottom.

** Dr.Hartono Taslim, Indonesia **

We have planned to attend IOF World Congress of Osteoporosis at Bangkok which will be opened on 3 December, but because the closure of the airport, the most important congress for us have to be cancelled. Really sad and angry because we have planned this trip months before. How can a smiling nation behave like this? Unbelievable!!!  

** Murat UZEL  ** 

54 proffessors from Turkey, were about to attend the ' 2008 IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis ' which was scheduled for 03-06 December 2008. Due to the closures at the airports in Bangkok - we had to cancel the trip.

** Danny Koo ** 

The current airport standoff on the part of PAD party will only seriously hurt the nation of Thailand in every way. This may go down as the most unwise act by any civilized country in modern history. This again proves Thailand will continue to remain as a pathetic laggard in terms of future economic development, even traling countries in the likes of Cambodia and vietnam. 

** Marja Schilstra **

My husband was stranded in Johannesburg since last Friday. The Thai Air flight from Johannesburg to Bkk could not leave. He was not allowed to fly to Singapore, even though there was a seat available on the flight. He had to stay there till today, Monday, and has just boarded on a flight to Kuala Lumpur, where he has to wait for many hours. Tomorrow late in the evening he can take a flight to U-tapao. From there he has to go to Bkk. Probably by bus or taxi. Next week my family has planned to come to visit. They might not be able to get here which is very sad :-

** FE **

I flew into U-Tapao airport on Saturday afternoon from Hong Kong (via Phuket). The arrival hall was chaotic but departures reminded me of scenes outside the American embassy at the fall of Saigon in 1975. This being Thailand, there was the surreal addition of a katoey cabaret show being put on to entertain the passnegers.