BANGKOK PROTESTS END--Airport to reopen

[slp123]

I am most happy to report that the crisis in Bangkok is over and has ended peacefully with the airports reopening Wednesday!! The Thai Supreme Court has settled the matter and all sides are complying in order to be ready for the celebration of the King's 81st birthday on Friday December 5th!! :D:D

 

For further details please click hear to read MSNBC latest news.

[greatam]

I just spoke to our AA/Cathay cargo rep. They informed me that it is such a zoo at the airport that it will take about a week to get everyone on their way to someplace.

 

Cathay and Thai airlines are trying to move Americans from BKK to LAX, whether they want to go to LAX or not. Otherwise, passengers MUST go to Hong Kong, Singapore or Tokyo to get on a proper plane to Chicago, Dallas, NYC, Minneapolis, etc. etc. Cargo is backed up for weeks and trying to get everything back on track will take some doing.

 

IF you have tickets into Bangkok, you may be better off flying into Hong Kong or Singapore, then getting a flight CLOSE to Bangkok and traveling the rest of the way by road.

[EVillExec]

I spoke with Bangkok Air today and they said they would not resume service at either airport until December 8th.:eek:

[ISLANDS LOVER]

Thank you for good news slp123

 

I think these are the best news we could have, but of course it will take a few days to recover the usual transit.

European news says that totaly recover will take at least 10 to 15 days.

 

I'm not very worried by myself, as I'm not flying until january 12th, but I feel really curious to know what happened with cruises around bangkok or other places in thailand during unrest and next recovering proccess.

 

Star Clipper is sailing every saturday at this time of the year mostly to and from phuket, (it got departure last 29th nov?¿ and is sheduled to depart next 6h december) then, what about the people that had to fly to and/or from Bangkok before to get phuket island? does anybody knows something about it?

 

My cruise is sheduled for 17th january so it is stil plenty of time, but did anybody receive advise from cruise lines? several embassies in europe does suggest don't travel to thailand until things goes as usual.:confused:

[slp123]

The US Embassy in Thailand has been posting official notices of current conditions and include a lot of helpful contact numbers. To keep abreast you may go to American Consular Services Announcements. Since the crisis began, they have posted announcements daily and you can subscribe to get them automatically emailed. Click here for today's (December 4) announcement for Thailand.

[Bohemian]

The airports might be getting back to normal even though it will take some time before they do resume fully operational status but the crisis in Bangkok is certainly far from over since the country has no government after the court's ruling, in which it found Somchai Wongsawat's People Power party guilty of electoral fraud and disbanded the government. Also, the very popular king is very sick.

 

It could take months or even years before the political situation in Thailand is stable enough to prevent any future political unrests and until that happens, traveling in Thailand will always be a risky proposition.

 

Yes, I'm one of those who were stranded there for nearly a week and being in close daily contact with the locals, I think I have a pretty good idea of what's happening there.

[uktog]

Thanks Bohemian

I always listen to the info on the ground - which is where I have been taking my info from to date - is very valuable. I agree the King's health could in particular give rise to issues and I for one will be taking the lowest risk options on our upcoming trip and have abandonned any ideas of planning overnight trips on our cruise in January.

A

[JennAngel9]

I share the sentiment warning people about instability in thailand, and especially BKK for the next few months. My husband and I (who were spending a few days there in late December) utimately decided to replace the BKK segment of our trip with a mini-cruise to Malaysia-- for fear of being trapped in BKK and missing the 2nd half of our vacation.

 

As a side note: Cathay charged us $100pp to reroute our flight around BKK (we cancelled a SIN-BKK and changed BKK-HKG to SIN-HKG), which we felt was pretty outrageoeus, given then we were trying to help avoid a problem with at least a reasonable chance of occuring in the future.

[greatam]

As a side note: Cathay charged us $100pp to reroute our flight around BKK (we cancelled a SIN-BKK and changed BKK-HKG to SIN-HKG), which we felt was pretty outrageoeus, given then we were trying to help avoid a problem with at least a reasonable chance of occuring in the future.

 

Why do you feel this is outrageous??? This would be a normal airline change fee. Pretty standard procedure for almost any airline ticket change. You were trying to help YOURSELVES avoid a potential future problem. CX will continue to fly into BKK whether you do or not.

 

You actually COULD have been charged the difference in fare between the two segment ticket to/through BKK and the nonstop from SIN as well as the change fee. The nonstop one way from SIN to HKG is generally slightly more expensive than the connecting, two segment flights. You are fortunate you were even able to change your flights without a significant upcharge, especially this close to departure and during the holiday period.

[JennAngel9]

First of all, we weren't changing from connecting to non-stop flights, we were cancelling 2 flights and replacing with 1 flight (on separate days)-- so the cost should have decreased enough that Cathay could applied it toward a change fee.

 

Ultimately, I suppose it's not outrageous unless/until BKK shuts down again, in which case we will probably complain to Cathay that it punished us for being proactive. I just think there is a great chance of future problems and that it's a shortsighted move on Cathay's part.

 

To be clear, we don't have problems with change fees in general, but in the context of Cathay currently trying to keep people out of/routing around BKK until it gets back to a normal schedule, it would have been nice of them to not charge a change fee (I don't mind price adjustment).

[greatam]

First of all, we weren't changing from connecting to non-stop flights, we were cancelling 2 flights and replacing with 1 flight (on separate days)-- so the cost should have decreased enough that Cathay could applied it toward a change fee.

 

I certainly understood that you had two tickets, not a connecting flight. And those two tickets generally cost LESS than the nonstop (as I posted). I fly around Asia a lot for business. I often book two entirely separate tickets on the same airline (and I fly CX frequently) because it is LESS expensive than either the connecting flight OR a nonstop.

 

Ultimately, I suppose it's not outrageous unless/until BKK shuts down again, in which case we will probably complain to Cathay that it punished us for being proactive. I just think there is a great chance of future problems and that it's a shortsighted move on Cathay's part.

 

To be clear, we don't have problems with change fees in general, but in the context of Cathay currently trying to keep people out of/routing around BKK until it gets back to a normal schedule, it would have been nice of them to not charge a change fee (I don't mind price adjustment).

 

CX's main business is NOT BKK. In fact, CX looses their butts with BKK connections/flights. Just too much competition through BKK-Thai, Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Tiger, etc. etc. Your flights were not impacted by the mess at BKK. So why would CX NOT charge you the change fee???? Still curious why you think they shouldn't charge you the change fee.

 

IF the BKK airport shut down happens again, smart money says if you can get out of the airport, go to Khao San Rd, catch up with the backpackers. Take the overland route to Siem Reap Cambodia (not particularly pleasant and certainly not upscale, but an adventure in itself and relatively cheap). Then either fly to Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City (you will need Visa on arrival with TA sponsorship for Vietnam. Visa on arrival in Cambodia means just pay the money and give them a picture. From Phnom Penh, you can get to Hong Kong, quite a few places in China, Singapore, etc. etc. WITHOUT going through BKK. There are ALWAYS options. I sure wouldn't sit at the airport for a week IF I could get out of the airport.

[JennAngel9]

I think I have already made my thoughts on Cathay and the current overtaxation of capacity at BKK clear. I will update when further news comes out of Thailand.

 

I do appreciate your expertise on flights and transit in the area. If we had your level of familiarity (and your willingness to travel with backpackers via bus) we probably would have stuck with our Bangkok visit. We prefer to stick to high end hotels and major airlines when travelling in unfamiliar parts of the world-- but should we ever find ourselves unexpectedly trapped in Bangkok, we will be very grateful for your advice.

[Bohemian]

Of course, if you don't mind an easier way out of Bangkok in case the airports close again, rather than seeking out the backpackers and then spending countless hours with this loud, hygienically challenged crowd bouncing around within the confines of a bus on some backwoods roads, there's always the sleeper train option where you can book 1st or 2nd class air-conditioned accommodations (2nd class is about 33 USD pp) for the 22 hour journey from Bangkok to Penang, Malaysia. There's no need for visa or a payment when entering that country, just walk through the small immigration building with your luggage and you're in. Frequent flights to Kuala Lumpur and other major Asian destinations make this a great starting point plus Penang is a very nice small city with beaches to explore. That's what we did and it was a great additional adventure to our already exciting trip.

[greatam]

Of course, if you don't mind an easier way out of Bangkok in case the airports close again, rather than seeking out the backpackers and then spending countless hours with this loud, hygienically challenged crowd bouncing around within the confines of a bus on some backwoods roads,

 

Whoa!!! Another ego tripping, nose up in the air so you don't have to associate with the hoi polloi post.

 

Between the "high end hotels" that JennAngel9 favors and your "loud, hygienically challenged crowd" statement, you two deserve to be STUCK in Bangkok or elsewhere. Your condescension is astounding.

 

NO ONE said anything about getting on a bus with anyone. What I posted-get to Khao San Rd, where the backpackers hang out. There are buses, taxis and shared rides from Khao San Rd to Siem Reap. Pick your transport method. AND the backpackers have knowledge of all the shortcuts and the cheapest, fastest ways to do things. Easiest way to get local info anyplace in the world-from the backpackers.

 

I would certainly take the overland backpacker route to Siem Reap/Phnom Penh rather then spend 22 hours trying to get to Penang. Cambodian visa is $25.00 on arrival. And you get Angkor Wat, NOT Penang. And as an American, I will DEFINITELY take Cambodia/Vietnam over ANY place in Malaysia.

[slp123]

I just found out the hard way that you can't edit your title if there is an error. I hate that.

 

Moving on . . .

 

I have both asked for and given information on cruise critic boards. I have always found the giving more difficult then the asking because while you may know the answer to someone's question, it is the answer for you to the question being asked and not necessarily the best answer for them. A short while back someone asked if they could tell them of a reasonable fare on short notice from an East Coast City to Hong Kong and return via Singapore. I had just received notice of a sale on either United or NWA for as little as $1300 round trip with very decent connections and departure times. When I wrote about the sale I could a very quick slap back that they were looking for "reasonable", meaning under $1000. I said under her circumstances the fare I quoted, just 16 days before departure was a good value and while there were sales on occasion as low as $1000 they were rare, usually way advance purchase and presently I didn't see any. The reply was rude, it started with being "an upper class snot" and went down from there.

 

My point is we all come from different points of view. In the case of the airfare debate above, the advice offered was based upon both the contributors preferences and his knowledge as a frequent flier in the region. and the comment on backpackers, well quite frankly I found it humorous but if you didn't laugh then the worst the writer can be accused of is being a poor comedian and not anything else. I myself would prefer a first class train to a bus on bad roads filled with backpackers. But on the other hand I myself once was a backpacker and would be far more interested in listening to their experiences on the road and what they discovered then some middle class matron complaining about which specialty restaurant on which ship has the dullest desserts. And as for airline ticket fees, the airlines make up new ones every day---don't get me started--on the other hand some of them, when compared to what they might have done to you, are very reasonable, all things considered. I think that is all that was meant.

 

And though people who contributed to this board mistook that I was blowing the all clear whistle and jumping the gun, when I had no such intention, I did not feel compelled to reply. Each of us has our own zones of comforts, things we find horrific and things that we live with and manage around. So take things said on this board the same way. And the best way to avoid upsetting someone is to be clear you are giving your "personal opinion" or the benefit of your "prior experience of something"

 

For the record, I also want to state that I don't think everything is resolved in Thailand. Far from it. But I do think for the rest of the winter season, the Thai's will go back to their day to day lives and back to work in the Tourism business and everything will be quiet until the next political crisis which will not come until its time for the next election. So enjoy the winter in Thailand or elsewhere in Asia and remember if you want something to worry about, you can choose to worry about chicken this winter. See my other recent post a about new outbreaks of the bird flu in Hong Kong. I say be a vegetarian when you travel and enjoy yourself. You'll find that being a vegetarian while traveling to exotic lands makes for far fewer stomach issues. Save meat eating for the ship's dining room.

[JennAngel9]

Bohemian, thanks for your suggestion. We'd considered the orient express option-- unfortunately, the time in our schedule didn't allow for a round trip journey-- but it is an excellent idea for the (slightly) less adventurous people stuck in BKK in the future.

 

Greatam, I don't mean to set you off again (and in fact, my prior post was not at all intended to be "condescending" as you suggest, rather it was intended to compliment your knowledge of the area and flexibility while noting it was not an option for us-- that has nothing to do with snobbery); however, I think you should consider who is being condescending to who on this thread. There are many reasons people like myself, who are either full or part-time members of the "hoi polloi" might not want to pursue the route you suggested whether it is safety (women travelling alone, the elderly) or terrible car-related motion sickness or simply the fact that they are not that adventurous. Further, some people might just want to avoid backpackers who think they are vastly more enlightened than everybody else because they are taking 6 months off between their ivy league education and their corporate jobs to "find themselves" in Thailand. Prior to your most recent response, I would have been happy to find myself at a table with you whether you make $10k or $10mil year because, in spite of your somewhat combative attitude, you seem to know a lot of about the world and I would imagine you have interesting stories. I would always prefer to spend a dinner at Chili's (or on a Carnival ship) and have a great conversation than have a dinner at Spago or Seabourn with someone who is nasty or boring.

 

Ultimately, I agree with Steven that "we all come from different points of view"-- and I am taken aback that my inability (or even lack of desire) to travel by taxi/bus (and someone else's off the cuff helpful remarks) made you feel I deserved to be stuck in an unstable situation. It was a harsh departure from the tone of these boards and exactly the sort of post that makes newcomers to CC scared to participate. I apologize if things I said caused you offense-- hopefully we have both learned something from this.