More than 380 Australians stranded in Thailand: Govt
Posted
Updated
Blockade: Protesters outside Thailand's main international airport (Reuters)
The Federal Government says more than 380 Australians remain stranded by the airport blockades in the Thai capital Bangkok.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled after anti-Government protesters took over the capital's main international airports.
Thai officials believe tens of thousands of airline passengers have been left stranded by the blockade, which is being enforced by thousands of anti-Government protesters.
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Crean says a Qantas flight from Phuket tonight will bring some of the stranded Australians home.
"It has a capacity of close to 300 passengers," he said.
"Obviously we will have to try and look for alternatives for the remainder who are still there and stranded, but this is an important step in the direction of easing the problem."
Almost 90 planes have been cleared to leave Bangkok's occupied airports, which will help clear the backlog of thousands of passengers stranded in the city.
Anti-Government protesters have shutdown the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the Don Muang domestic airport in Bangkok since last week.
Protesters have put up barricades several kilometres away and are in control of who comes and goes.
The pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, to dissolve the Parliament after the chief of the air force joined business groups and others calling for him to resign.
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Comments (42)
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stealthpooch:
01 Dec 2008 11:51:39am
gee I wish I were stranded. I was meant to fly over there tonight. Instead, I've just lost a load of money - apparently Insurance companies don't cover 'civil unrest'. So what *do* they cover?
I think I'll borrow the Man Who Sued God from the video store tonight....Agree (0) Alert moderator
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petros:
01 Dec 2008 12:33:38pm
Don't worry..you'll be right just pretend you're a whale and there will be folk everywhere getting you on your way.
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Lindsay Cooper:
01 Dec 2008 12:04:31pm
This is the risk you take when travelling to countries that have unrest going on.
In this instance it is only a peacefull protest holding up the travellers.
People don't seem to be taking notice that the world is becoming much more violent in many countries since we have been fighting the "War on Terror". We need to begin looking at some of the problems from the other sides view.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Pen Pal:
01 Dec 2008 12:26:02pm
Not quite sure what you're prepared to personally trade away Lindsay Cooper, but I live a peaceful and harmonious life and I won't trade one part of that to any of these "nutters".
When you start your negotiations Lindsay, you're not speaking for me or my family, and dare I say, the majority of my friends.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Steve:
01 Dec 2008 12:59:03pm
Nutters are they? Why don't you look up what they're protesting about.
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Spooky:
01 Dec 2008 1:26:10pm
Hmm. (Checks Google)
Apparently the corrupt government was recently overthrown by the military. The military eventually decided that the time was right for fair and democratic elections.
Then when the elections were held, the corrupt government was voted in again by the majority of the population.
Nutters, no. Sour grapes, yes.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Noodle:
01 Dec 2008 2:27:59pm
Actually, the PAD are right wing nutjobs with no interest in democracy. Their platform is to replace the democratic government with a semi appointed body...and guess who gets to appoint them! Yes, the same rich ruling class elites and big business who generally fleece and control the country.
Not that the current govt or Thaksin were/are any different. Completely corrupt and succeed to power by sheer bribery and giveaways to the larger rural population, then completely corrupt business deals of their own making when in charge.
There simply are no good guys this time around and the army doesn't want to appear the bad guy. Sorry to say though, I'm hoping for a coup and a caretaker govt. Something to at least avert much bloodshed.
These PAd idiots are not even the majority in Bangkok, just a fringe but very loud group financed by business interests. The whole thing is a debacle.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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beaware:
01 Dec 2008 2:31:22pm
Spooky Hmmm (Checks facts)
The people who I have business connections with are rural village residents who, if working for Thai companies, earn around $6 per day, have no super, holiday or sick leave, pay no tax and need 3 wages per house to survive.
So the nice man in the suit who says 'you can have 500 baht to vote for my friend' gets a good hearing most times. When a person in a rural area gives a commitment it is nearly always honoured, regardless of if it can be checked on or not. When the friends of nice man in the suit (in the former Thaksin Government) gave them free medical care it was a big vote buyer.
There are over 45 million of Thailands residents in such situations. Up to 5 million (possibly more) of them work in major cities but in fact are registered as living in the rural villages.
At last count there was another 8 or 10 rural seats being contested because of vote buying, and these are only the ones who got caught. How appropriate that snake oil salesmen built an airport on Cobra Swamp.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Pen Pal:
01 Dec 2008 1:58:54pm
Oops, sorry friends, I misread the heading and thought we were talking about terrorists - my comments were not designed against these protesters in Thailand and I apologise - corrupt governments need to be thrown out and it is a pity they're not doing the same in Zimbabwe too.
I always thought free an fair elections could be supervised by the United Nations!Agree (0) Alert moderator
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beaware:
01 Dec 2008 12:31:25pm
Lindsay even the most biased view cannot link Thailands problems with the War on Terror although the looney right might want to. As a person with past and continuing business operations in Thailand the people are sick of being bribed, ripped off and stolen from by big money, big connections and big power.
Even Suvahanabumi Airport built by the Thaksin Govt was a money tree for all the corrupt connections. Have you seen the 4 or 5 hectares of unused tarmac parking area about 2 kilometres from the airport? Covered in weeds now but part of a mates payback.
The land was a useless wetland formerly known as Cobra Swamp and bought from a group with connections to the Thaksin Govt. Subsidence problems arose within 6 months of it opening, possibly because the land preparation was another part of a mates payback deal and not done properly either.
Thaksins wife bought a large parcel of Government land in central Bangkok at 30% market value. Thaksin pushed through a huge Thai Government loan to Burma, who then used it to buy satellite and communications equipment from the Thaksin owned Shin Corporation.
I can give you another 10 pages of the same. So the "war on terror" should perhaps be the war on corruption. It was the Howard Government who rushed through the Free Trade agreement with Thaksins Govt.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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LGL:
01 Dec 2008 1:19:34pm
It is not fun being stuck here, it is the cold season and everyone has colds, they sneeze on you if you are not quick. No idea of covering their mouth. The Land of Smiles starts to become the land of idiot grins.
Beaware, there are a number of factual errors in your comment,
Suvahanabumi has been on the planning stages since the 1970's. The land was bought by the government at the time, yes it was called "Cobra Swamp". The drainage problems have been well documented as were the cracks in the runway and several structural and safety problems.
Thaksin's administration steamrollered the completion of the construction so they would have funds in their pockets and a monument to be remembered by. Some of the corruption cases are still going through the courts.
The funny thing about the lump of land bought by Potjoman is that it was purchased in an auction, a little like the Aussie tender process. Some of the other bidders (in the second round of bidding) were land development companies. It was a repo from the Asian crisis. Now if you ask about all the land purchased in Phuket following the tsunami by the family and their related companies, that is far more interesting.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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GregH:
01 Dec 2008 1:42:47pm
The PAD is a loose alliance of Royalists, businessmen and upper middle class who want Thailand's democracy to be abolished and half of Parliament to be appointed with people like them.
Sounds like a group of fascists to me.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Spooky:
01 Dec 2008 1:43:41pm
Admittedly, the connection to the war on terror is a bit of a stretch.
But these protestors are attempting to use force to undermine a democratically elected government. They lost the election, so they are throwing a tantrum. Their conduct is atrocious.
How would you feel if the Liberal supporters (About 45% of the population) suddenly decided to grind Australia to a halt?
Would you support their crusade to force the ALP to hold elections?
The protestors do not deserve any attention or sympathy. They will be left alone and ignored, until they decide they need to work for a living.
The counter-tactic for passive resistance: Passive lack of interest.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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people power:
01 Dec 2008 2:26:53pm
Very gracious of Spooky to admit it's a bit of a stretch to connect the PAD with the war on terror, and a good indication of the extent to which reality can be obscured by ideology.
The PAD protesters are overwhelmingly avowedly non-violent, and are using peaceful mass civil disobedience to overthrow a corrupt government that won the election by using bribery and populism to buy electoral benefits.
A better question to ask might be if the Liberals ever won an election here by using similar tactics to sustain themselves in power and by putting someone like Pauline Hanson in the leadership, I'd hope progressive Australians would be capable of mounting a similar response to that shown by the PAD, but I really doubt it.
The PAD will not stop until they have won their cause, and certainly deserve our attention and understanding.
The real work of political change being undertaken by thousands of ordinary Thais over such a sustained period should be an inspiration to all those who treasure freedom from oppression and tyranny.Agree (1) Alert moderator
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Pen Pal:
01 Dec 2008 12:07:55pm
Travellers from anywhere in the world have to understand that they don't have a guardian angel hovering above them to keep them out of trouble.
My suggestion is to just book into a hotel and just relax for a while - they're swimming pools and facilities are pretty good.
I hope the fact that we are a Constitutional Monarchy won't have Thailand criticise us when it comes to future trade after this shemozzle dies down.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Fiona:
01 Dec 2008 12:12:32pm
Same, I was meant to fly over yesterday. I rescheduled for Wed and have been told to reschedule again. I can't understand why the airlines can't reroute to Phuket.
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sally:
01 Dec 2008 1:20:29pm
Go to Kuala Lumper instead, then fly direct to Phuket perhaps? May be the best way in a bad situation.
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ROD:
01 Dec 2008 1:38:15pm
We are in Phuket and can't get out. Having fun switching hotels every second day. There are no flights out of Phuket directly back to Perth. Flights on Tiger and others are fully booked until Saturday, and they only get you to Singapore.
I don't know where the 380 people stranded comes from, may be they are talking only about bangkok. Because the airport at phuket hasn't been taken over, yet, they figure we are not stranded.
"same same, but different"Agree (0) Alert moderator
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chalkie:
01 Dec 2008 12:22:20pm
Anyone for Internatinoal Rescue?
Even while we might giggle at the idea, there is a lot of expectation for the Aust govt to undertake various rescue missions and to be far more interventionist on behalf of overseas Australians: Mumbai and Bangkok are just the most recent ones. And it is not a bad idea, for all the problems with externalising one's own responsibility when travelling.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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sinekal:
01 Dec 2008 12:47:13pm
Chalkie exactly what sort of rescue mission did you have in mind? A mission where we send and uninvited civilian aircraft into foreign airspace, land on foreign soil, overide their Customs and Diplomatic procedures, disregard their own police and military actions, commandeer their ground services to refuel and push the aircraft back for take off ?
All this for the purpose of picking up Australians who chose to be there in the first place? When the aircraft gets shot down we can declare war on them right?
Or perhaps you had the Iraq model in mind. Or the Entebbe model or the Mogadishu model ...Agree (1) Alert moderator
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chalkie:
01 Dec 2008 2:32:21pm
You read too much into this: the post's point was to question the expectations we have on the role of our govt to get involved to help us when trouble hits overseas. Do we wnat a govt standing organisation to swing into action to act as international chaperone?
"Interventionist" might mean simply coordinating and paying for removal, as it did in Lebanon. Perhaps there is a role in direct govt-to-govt negotiation for use of military air bases for repatriation.
BTW, your histerical exaggeration of the concept to mean violent means says something of other Australians' inability to distinguish govt action from govt violence.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Brad:
01 Dec 2008 1:34:03pm
Bali and Mumbai were done with the permission of the local government.
Bangkok could theoretically be done now. The only problem is it would be impossible to load and refuel the plane at either of the airports. This is why Qantas has requested permission to use one of the regional airports or possibly a military air base.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Slipery Sam the Insurance Man:
01 Dec 2008 12:25:56pm
stealthpoock, you should know that travel insurance covers you for everything other than that for which you need it.
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stranded:
01 Dec 2008 12:28:39pm
I think the 380 is a low estimate as there appears to be many Australians in Bangkok. The lack of assistance from the Australian Government is frustrating and their main message is for travellers here to speak to their airline.
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Steve:
01 Dec 2008 1:00:32pm
What on earth is the Australian government supposed to do about it? This is an internal Thai problem, and any attempt to step in is one of the diciest propositions I can think of under international law.
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Greg h:
01 Dec 2008 1:58:13pm
Most countries around the world are organising evacuation plans for their citizens from nearby cities in Thailand.
What is the Rudd govt doing about it?Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Brad:
01 Dec 2008 1:35:27pm
What do you expect the Australian government to do? You cannot send any planes, civilian or military, into foreign airspace and land at foreign airports without the permission of the local government. The problem is not airspace, it's the fact that Thailand's two major airports are gridlocked by protestors so even if a plane could land there it could not be loaded.
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Greg h:
01 Dec 2008 2:00:04pm
Many nations are organising evacuation plans for their citizens from near by airports in Pattaya.
What is the useless Stephen smith doing about it?
He has to be the most incompetent Foreign minister in recent Australian history.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Insider:
01 Dec 2008 12:49:29pm
The Government should be thinking of people in worst off situations, this country has many ways to leave without one airport, its as though the Government thinks this country is isolated like a small island with nothing, I totally agree with the other comments its the responsibility of the traveller, but in case they are hungry or need some assistance the protesters PAD are helping out in this area. Another note is that the closet airport to Bangkok 1 hour away has flights leaving which are not completely full heading for Australia right now! All the flights to Europe from this airport are full at this time but more flights are coming in all the time and why is the silly government so concerned when more people are arriving in Thailand with this crisis still happening?
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Ploppy the Jailer:
01 Dec 2008 12:53:50pm
I think the 'buyer beware' axiom applies here. People seem to think that travel to exotic locations is their "right", and that every other taxpayer should pick up the tab when their travel (business or pleasure) goes pear-shaped.
Thailand has really quite regular coups. Singapore kills drug trafficers. Saudi Arabia cuts off theifs hands.
Scary. don't go there. If you do, well you knew what you were flying into didn't you? The government is not a nursemaid or to blame for people's bad or unlucky choices.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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sally:
01 Dec 2008 1:18:40pm
That's one point of view, Ploppy. My daughter is teaching english in Phnom Peng right now, with no pay as an Australian OS volunteer, for the past 3 months. She is due to fly to Bangkok on Wednesday, for a holiday. What does she do now, with the bangkok airport closed? Well, she has been told to find $2,000 extra for multiple changes to flights and buses etc. So Ploppy, your 'buyer beware' theory may feel good, but there are many, many travellers affected by this joke that is going on in Thailand, somewhat unfairly, if I may say so. And I don't see any taxpayer coming to her aid.
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David:
01 Dec 2008 2:03:10pm
As one who knows the region very well, $2000 to travel from Phnom Penh to Bangkok is. I'm afraid just another Aussie fantasy.
A bus trip from Phnom Penh to BKK would cost less than a taxi trip across town to most Australian airports! Meanwhile, let's try to be factual in this complex Thai political drama
which it seems may well get worse before it's inevitable resolution Cool heads please!Agree (0) Alert moderator
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sally:
01 Dec 2008 2:28:19pm
David says "As one who knows the region very well, $2000 to travel from Phnom Penh to Bangkok is. I'm afraid just another Aussie fantasy".
Fantasy? Apparently you don't understand that flights to Bangkok are closed, people must fly elsewhere, perhaps to KL or a neighbouring country, all at short notice and all at a high cost. Apparently you also don't know airline agencies, because flights originally booked out of Australia, when changed or cancelled, are often not refundable and new tickets must be payed for. Add lost accomodation costs, because of travel delays when bussing or going by train, and the bill adds up very quickly. No, extra costs of $2,000 are not exagerated when we are talking about changing flights on 3 or 4 travel routes.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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GregH:
01 Dec 2008 2:09:12pm
According to Labor voters here... your daughter should expect no assistance from Australian high commission there.
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Kendo:
01 Dec 2008 1:29:32pm
Just got out in time myself ....
These days, anyone who travels to SE Asia needs to either take flight insurance or take enough money/credit cards that you can make last minute purchases of alternate flights (my preference). If I was stuck in Bangkok, my routine would be simple. Get out of the airport - catch overland transport to either Chang Mai or Phuket - purchase cheapest available flight to Singapore - halfway home already,
The risk is not just demonstrations or other turmoil, the most common problem is cheap airlines making last minute cancellations or changes to your flights.
Do not leave home without sufficient resources to get yourself back even if all of your flights get cancelled is my advice and practice.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Traveller:
01 Dec 2008 1:53:56pm
While the Government doesn't play nursemaid it does publish travel advise on it's DFAT website. If the Government thinks a certain destination is to dangerous to travel to the website will reflect this and advise against travel to the region/country. Hence there is some responsiblility bourne by a government that lets it's citizens travel to a region/country.
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Noodle:
01 Dec 2008 2:41:24pm
I trust this logic applies to idiots who get into financial trouble based on their own irresponsibility at home too, with mortgages, credit cards, childcare etc. The difference here is Australians abroad could end up involved in a violent situation and the government has a duty of care. Compared to that, shielding locals who expect welfare and bailouts should be taking a back seat.
One of Australia's greatest strengths is that we have many people who travel abroad, see the world & bring new experiences back home. We're a worldly people ( or at least the people who travel are, can't say much for those who've never seen another culture ) and this is a tremendous asset to the nation.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Bin:
01 Dec 2008 1:15:19pm
the Western democracy is just suitable for those countries which built up their wealth based on robbery, war and colonial rule, and then rhey need this kind of "democratic system" to control the wealth distribution.
Have you ever seen any democratic country achieving a great progress in economic development? Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are good examples, let alone China. None of them was not under a power politics when it made a big progress in ecomonic.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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people power:
01 Dec 2008 1:20:38pm
I couldn't think of many more pleasant or interesting places to be stranded. Whilst it might be inconvenient for some, we should all stand in awe of the fierce determination and commitment of the ordinary Thai people to stand up to the appalling corruption and nepotism of the Thaksin Government and it's subsequent crony regimes.
Witnessing the spirit of those that have driven this outstanding level of protest for so long now (I was there in July, and spent some time among the "mob", speaking at length with many of them and was made to feel very welcome) really helps to understand why Thailand is the only SE Asian nation to have never been colonised.
Their commitment to justice, respect for the King and democracy, and determination to win back a Government that will end the burden of corruption alluded to by "beaware" demands our respect and understanding.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Tony Grant:
01 Dec 2008 1:22:16pm
Go to these nations at your own risk, lets face it you go there because its cheap! The "sickos" that infest these "third world nations".
I have no sympathy for "Australians" going to any of these countries included Burma/India/Thailand/China etc any rescure should be paid by those that travel there.
You support corruption for a nice cheap holiday!Agree (0) Alert moderator
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daniel:
01 Dec 2008 2:32:12pm
People visit Australia because it's "cheap" with US dollars. Tony wants to turn the "sickos" that infest these "third world nations" away. Good idea, ban tourists. Ban travel. Now who's the "sicko"...?
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chalkie:
01 Dec 2008 2:35:37pm
and a stopover is tantamount to greasing the guns of the military?
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