Rescue flights for stranded people in Bangkok arrive in Tokyo

Sunday 30th November, 05:40 AM JST

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15 Comments

rjd_jr at 07:38 AM JST - 30th November

Bloody ridiculous. The PAD and their elitist supporters simply cannot stand the thought of an empowered and strong rural/lower class. If a select group of Thais care so little about their own people, why would they give two hoots about foreign tourists or their dollars? I sure hope these protestors know what they are doing, the damage from this stupidity will haunt them for a long time.
maryhinge at 08:19 AM JST - 30th November

What no photos? I wonder why?
tigris at 09:18 AM JST - 30th November

Just got back from Bangkok... Was there on Wednesday early morning when the airport was taken over by the PAD. As a regular Thai visitor and former Bangkok resident I didn't (and don't) expect that Suvarnabhumi Airport to reopen any time soon. Took the train to Penang (23h) and from there on to KL and Singapore - 3 days travel. rjd_jr: You obviously don't know much about Thai politics - it is much more complicated than your black and white paintings.
JeffLee at 09:23 AM JST - 30th November

I wouldn't mind being "stranded" in Thailand over winter.
Athletes at 10:12 AM JST - 30th November

Tigris

PAD supporters has already kicked off one Thai prime minister. They have been protesting on the roads for six months. If the new prime minister come again, they will still make noise again. Besides that they have to concern about the opinion of the rest of the population. Not only what they want!

Japan has changed many prime minsters without traffic jams, blood shed & violence. It is the way of matured democracy. They have to find the peaceful way for solution. Confrontation approach can be described as immature & lawless.

Currently the world wide is facing the economic downturn. Disturbing & blocking the airports & annoying the tourists damanged the economy & image of Thai. Many people will lose the jobs. Small business will suffer & broke. Government will lose the revenue.
rjd_jr at 10:31 AM JST - 30th November

Thank you Athletes, it really isn't that complicated (and no one here who has chastised others for not knowing enough about Thai politics have themselves not offered their own explanations by the way). The PAD will never be happy, it is a fundamental difference between the elite/upper crust and the rural lower class, all about power. Plain and simple.

But as stated multiple times before it really shouldn't matter in the end as all citizens of the world will always disagree about something, certainly politicians aren't immune from that disagreement. But there's a fine line between genuine or not so genuine grievances, and acting like thugs harrassing, threatening, and intimidating your fellow Thais and foreigners alike, taking over airports and shutting down the economy. Why is that so hard a concept? Why is Thailand so different from other countries and its citizens that we can't call a wrong a wrong?
tigris at 10:41 AM JST - 30th November

Athletes

To explain what's really going on in Thailand would take more than a short comment on this board. but your comparison of Thailand with Japan is misplaced. Thailand is an 'immature' democracy. If you think that Thaksin was fairly elected you are dreaming. Under Thaksin Thailand wasn't a real democracy either. He dismantled all check and balances during his reign and in the first 3 years as prime minister magically trippled the fortune of his already filthy rich family. I am not a supporter of the PAD, but I can understand the frustration. About half of the protesters at the airport are middle aged house wifes by the way. The only peaceful way out is another military coup, like it or not. This is for the Thai people to sort out.
tigris at 10:54 AM JST - 30th November

rjd_jr

acting like thugs harrassing, threatening, and intimidating your fellow Thais and foreigners alike

The PAD is against the government and their representatives. Nobody at the airport was threatened or intimitated, certainly not the tourists. The PAD supplied the tourists with free food and drink, because all airport personel, shop owners, airline staff, security, police immigration had abandoned the airport - some even joined the PAD.

If you don't know what is really going on, you should be more reserved with your judgement.
GW at 11:12 AM JST - 30th November

If you don't know what is really going on, you should be more reserved with your judgement.

if he took yr advice we wudnt hear from him again on JT & we wudnt get to comment on his comments
Athletes at 11:48 AM JST - 30th November

Trigis

I have been Thai for many times of course I do not not about what really going on as you said. Some PAD supporters bashed & kicked the red shirt guys( pro government supporters). Someone wearing the yellow shirt throw the generade. Some red shirts people are also out of control.

I am not interested in politics however I have seen these violent photos with my eyes. I do not care who is prime minister of Thai as far as he or she is approved by constitution of Thai.

Most people with yellow shirts are friendly & law abiding. When I was in Hatyai station, they even helped me for carring my luggage. However if the massive people joined in the yellow army, you can not say which one is real protester or trouble maker. If there are too many people, it can be out of control sometimes.

Myanmar which is neighbour of Thai has strong military. The military has couped civilian government & took power for along time. This country is impoverished & isolated from outside world. Thai has miltary coup many times. However miltary returned the power to elected government shortly. If military has to interfere whenever people make noise, they can not focus on their defence business. It is the civilian affair.

Thai people can not afford to sort out this mess in current economic climate. Thai economy is export & tourism dependent. If the airport, railway station & shipping port has been blocked,the goods can not be delivered on time to destination. The raw materials & spare parts can not arrive to factory on time.

In the business, realiabilty is paramount. If there is no jobs, no income & no food. Protesters needed something to eat and drink. Steet vendors & restaurants can not supply them free lunch forever. They needed customers like tourists. Blocking the government house is reasonable. However disturing the transportation & logistic system is very unwise.
northlondon at 03:45 PM JST - 30th November

Nobody at the airport was threatened or intimitated, certainly not the tourists. The PAD supplied the tourists with free food and drink

And I suppose the young Japanese child stranded at the airport with his parents without enough food and drink was just a mirage on my TV set then ? I guess the British woman also left stranded at the airport on her own with her child and 6 months pregnant is just a fairytale then ? Stop glamourising the actions of the PAD if you are sitting comfortably in he warmth of your own home reading about this on the internet or watching your TV. Thailand's internal politics should remain an internal issue and international law should demand that tourist travellers be left out of these political squabbles. The rest of the world should tell the Thais in no uncertain terms that international force will be used to rescue the tourists held to ransom at the airport.
ptolemy at 05:43 PM JST - 30th November

We should all be happy these folks got out alive. I am sure their families are breathing a sigh of relief as well. On CNN-J and NHK this afternoon they showed alot of disturbing footage. I agree northlondon - nations need travel bans now.
Yelnats at 07:26 PM JST - 30th November

Sure glad I did not invest in Phuket. I would rather lose my money in the US stock market. :-)
faranglao at 09:58 PM JST - 30th November

Did all of you know who run the airports of Thailand? (Thai Military) And now you know why it was so easy for PAD to take over. When you have the Generals, Elites and the Royal palace as major backer and financier, PAD is more powerful than the government. As of now, more than 50 millions of Thai are suffer for it. By Dec. 2nd I do believe the current government will be gone anyhow. The Elites will find the way to bring down the elected government one way or another before King`s BD.
elbudamexicano at 10:36 PM JST - 30th November

Bangkok is a place a really want to stay away from for a while. I hope nothing like the bloody masacres of Rangoong in Myanmar happen in Thailand. I do understand the frustration of regular Thais and I hope they can fix this political situation in a peaceful way as soon as humanly possible.