Aircago Asia Pacific
Friday, 28 November 2008
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) today is bracing for decisive action following the decision by the Thai Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, to sanction force to remove protesters from Thailand's two main airports Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Meuang.
Andrew Wood , general manager of the Chaophya Park Hotel, Bangkok filed this situation update this afternoon.
The Thai government will try to open the airports with the police we now understand. Maybe as early as today. It may result in more violence as both sides say they are committed; PAD to forcing the Prime Minister to resign. The government to removing the protesters and reopening the countries main airports. Many of the anti government PAD protesters have gone inside the two international airports at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.
Army tanks were deployed last night in a 'training' exercise to nearby Suvarnabhumi. They were spotted on the expressway in convey, with yellow peace flags, in the early evening. No pictures or news and the tanks have not featured on any newswires or dailies today.
People are now traveling to Phuket and Penang by train or overland to Cambodia and Chang Mai to try and get flight connections home via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong. Bangkok Airways is still flying out of Utopao and have flights via Samui /Phuket to Singapore and Hong Kong.
It is all a huge mess for the embattled tourism industry. There are many, many cancellations. The losses are huge. Chaophya Park Hotel in Bangkok the occupancy is now down to 20 per cent for next week when normally we would be in the 90 per cent range during November; our busiest revenue month. I have received 600 room- nights cancellations in the last two days alone. Weddings and banquets functions are still taking place as planned. The local market is resilient but the international market is expected to be suffer a huge, possibly knockout blow. Each day the airports are closed some estimate it is costing THAI International, the national carrier around Baht 500 million in lost revenue and the loss to future tourism business is immeasurable.
Almost 80 per cent of Thailand's 14+ million annual tourists normally transit through Suvarnabhumi airport. They have to get the airport open and quickly. Travel and tourism sector job losses look more inevitable next year, the longer this siege continues.
-Andrew Wood
Friday, 28 November 2008
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) today is bracing for decisive action following the decision by the Thai Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, to sanction force to remove protesters from Thailand's two main airports Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Meuang.
Andrew Wood , general manager of the Chaophya Park Hotel, Bangkok filed this situation update this afternoon.
The Thai government will try to open the airports with the police we now understand. Maybe as early as today. It may result in more violence as both sides say they are committed; PAD to forcing the Prime Minister to resign. The government to removing the protesters and reopening the countries main airports. Many of the anti government PAD protesters have gone inside the two international airports at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.
Army tanks were deployed last night in a 'training' exercise to nearby Suvarnabhumi. They were spotted on the expressway in convey, with yellow peace flags, in the early evening. No pictures or news and the tanks have not featured on any newswires or dailies today.
People are now traveling to Phuket and Penang by train or overland to Cambodia and Chang Mai to try and get flight connections home via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong. Bangkok Airways is still flying out of Utopao and have flights via Samui /Phuket to Singapore and Hong Kong.
It is all a huge mess for the embattled tourism industry. There are many, many cancellations. The losses are huge. Chaophya Park Hotel in Bangkok the occupancy is now down to 20 per cent for next week when normally we would be in the 90 per cent range during November; our busiest revenue month. I have received 600 room- nights cancellations in the last two days alone. Weddings and banquets functions are still taking place as planned. The local market is resilient but the international market is expected to be suffer a huge, possibly knockout blow. Each day the airports are closed some estimate it is costing THAI International, the national carrier around Baht 500 million in lost revenue and the loss to future tourism business is immeasurable.
Almost 80 per cent of Thailand's 14+ million annual tourists normally transit through Suvarnabhumi airport. They have to get the airport open and quickly. Travel and tourism sector job losses look more inevitable next year, the longer this siege continues.
-Andrew Wood
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