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Things are escalating with the showdown between PAD and the PPP ruling party.
As reported from the Nation, August 30, 2008 as breaking news:
3 Thai Airports Close
The PM has requested an audience with the King, and some sources are saying that the Prime Minister will resign.
As reported from the Nation, August 30, 2008 as breaking news:
Tourism at risk as three airports closed,
By The Nation
Published on August 30, 2008
Airline union urges strike. Travellers disrupted at Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai; THAI staff may join protest
The labour union of Thai Airways International (THAI) is calling on its 15,000 members to join in protests against the government, while the tourism sector is concerned about security and its future business.
The groups are responding to a series of strikes in Bangkok and in the provinces.
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) proฌtesters yesterday blocked the entrances of two major airports, Phuket and Hat Yai.
THAI labour union chief Chamsri Sukchotrat said the union would counter the government by urging its 15,000 members to go on strike as the government had attacked the people.
"The government has violated the rights of the people and broken a promise that it would not use force. We call on our 15,000 members from every department to exercise their right to take two days' sick leave without a doctor's certificate," she said.
Strikes at state companies are illegal in Thailand but workers can circumvent the law by reporting sick.
Serirat Prasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand (AOT), ordered three airฌports - Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi - closed between 5pm and 9pm yesterday. As a result, many thousands of tourists had travel plans affected.
Thai Air Asia cancelled all flights into the region.
Phuket Tourist Association president Somboon Jirayus admitted that the anti-government protesters' seizure of Phuket Airport had affected the image of tourism, because passengers could not access convenient entrance and departure facilities.
He added that tourism in the South would be affected if the seizure continued.
Many tourists who could not get flights at Phuket Airport said they would not return to Thailand, as they were afraid of violence.
Around 4pm, airport officials negotiated with key members of the Phuket antigovernment protests in an attempt to solve the problems. The protest leaders had different views - some wanted to allow passengers normal services as they were concerned for tourism in the province, while others wanted to close the airport.
Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association president Somchart Pimthanapoonphol said the matter might not affect tourism in the province because Hat Yai Airport had no international flights.
He was more concerned that the antigovernment groups might move to close Sadao disฌtrict, because the district is located on the border of Malaysia and is the main route for Malaysian and Singaporean travellers.
AOT, the operator of Suvarnabhumi Airport and four international airports in the provinces - Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - yesterday switched to a Level 3 security alert which is normally imposed during festivals, following reports of the seizure of several provinฌcial airports. All passengers would undergo random baggage checks after stepping into the passenger terminals.
Serirat said the higher alert followed intelligence reports that the protesters would seek to take control of airports.
While 1,000 protesters blocked the entrances and exits at Hat Yai Airport early yesterday afterฌnoon, vehicles could not access the terminal to transport tourists.
As protesters blocked entry to Phuket Airport, there were reports that more protesters were heading towards Krabi Airport, which is under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Department.
Protesters started gathering in front of Phuket Airport at noon, after police tore down the People's Alliance for Democracy's main stage at Makkhawan Bridge in Bangkok. Phuket Airport director Vicha Noenlop said prior to the blockade that it should not lead to unpleasant events, as all problems could be discussed.
Around 3pm, it was reported that more police officers were dispatched to Chiang Mai Airport.
Association of Thai Travel Agents president Apichart Sankary said the protesters had not blocked flights, only airport entrances. Their actions had not therefore led to violence, as they only unconvinced inbound and outbound tourists. However, he said, the association would wait and watch the situation but he believed that the protests at airports would affect tourism in the short term.
He added that he hoped the matter would end before September 15, which is the start of the high season for tourism. Otherwise, tourism operators might suggest tourists move to other areas such as Pattaya and Hua Hin instead.
Somchok Chanthong, communications coordinator for the Mae Moh power plant in Lampang and a People's Alliance for Democracy leader in the North, said that if more police were deployed to crush antigovernment protesters at Makkhawan Bridge and Government House, he was ready to lead supporters in the North to shut down the plant.
"If the government does not stop resorting to violent methods and proceeds to dissolve the gatherings, we will immediately block the power plant and ask that as a protest all staff stop generating power. We expect the staff to lend us their cooperation," he said.
According to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, which operates the power plant, Mae Moh has a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, or slightly less than 10 per cent of Egat's total capacity.
Yutana Tapcharoen, governor of the State Railway Authority (SRT), said yesterday that the strike by railway staff had cost the authority Bt3 million in just one day.
About 240 SRT employees - 10 per cent of the agency's staff - took sick leave on Thursday and yesterday, which led to 106 train services being cancelled. The SRT has 240 trains in operation every day. He added that the agency would take urgent measures to prevent the situation from escalating.
The SRT has already set up a committee to study the reasons for the strike, which he believed stemmed from political motivations.
Prakit Shinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said operators were concerned about the political turmoil.
"It is too soon to calculate the effect on hotel and tourism businesses, but operators are not happy with the situation," said Prakit. He added that businessmen who planned to join an interฌnational conference - ITU Telecom Asia, which is scheduled for Bangkok next week - might cancel their attendance if the situation worsens.
Charles Morris, general manager of the Peninsula Hotel Bangkok, said some overseas tourists, particularly from the United States and Europe, would be worried over the situation in Thailand and would be reconsidering their travel plans during the high season between October and January.
However, the number of visitors from Asian countries, especially businessmen, is expected to increase from last year's level.
By The Nation
Published on August 30, 2008
Airline union urges strike. Travellers disrupted at Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai; THAI staff may join protest
The labour union of Thai Airways International (THAI) is calling on its 15,000 members to join in protests against the government, while the tourism sector is concerned about security and its future business.
The groups are responding to a series of strikes in Bangkok and in the provinces.
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) proฌtesters yesterday blocked the entrances of two major airports, Phuket and Hat Yai.
THAI labour union chief Chamsri Sukchotrat said the union would counter the government by urging its 15,000 members to go on strike as the government had attacked the people.
"The government has violated the rights of the people and broken a promise that it would not use force. We call on our 15,000 members from every department to exercise their right to take two days' sick leave without a doctor's certificate," she said.
Strikes at state companies are illegal in Thailand but workers can circumvent the law by reporting sick.
Serirat Prasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand (AOT), ordered three airฌports - Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi - closed between 5pm and 9pm yesterday. As a result, many thousands of tourists had travel plans affected.
Thai Air Asia cancelled all flights into the region.
Phuket Tourist Association president Somboon Jirayus admitted that the anti-government protesters' seizure of Phuket Airport had affected the image of tourism, because passengers could not access convenient entrance and departure facilities.
He added that tourism in the South would be affected if the seizure continued.
Many tourists who could not get flights at Phuket Airport said they would not return to Thailand, as they were afraid of violence.
Around 4pm, airport officials negotiated with key members of the Phuket antigovernment protests in an attempt to solve the problems. The protest leaders had different views - some wanted to allow passengers normal services as they were concerned for tourism in the province, while others wanted to close the airport.
Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association president Somchart Pimthanapoonphol said the matter might not affect tourism in the province because Hat Yai Airport had no international flights.
He was more concerned that the antigovernment groups might move to close Sadao disฌtrict, because the district is located on the border of Malaysia and is the main route for Malaysian and Singaporean travellers.
AOT, the operator of Suvarnabhumi Airport and four international airports in the provinces - Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - yesterday switched to a Level 3 security alert which is normally imposed during festivals, following reports of the seizure of several provinฌcial airports. All passengers would undergo random baggage checks after stepping into the passenger terminals.
Serirat said the higher alert followed intelligence reports that the protesters would seek to take control of airports.
While 1,000 protesters blocked the entrances and exits at Hat Yai Airport early yesterday afterฌnoon, vehicles could not access the terminal to transport tourists.
As protesters blocked entry to Phuket Airport, there were reports that more protesters were heading towards Krabi Airport, which is under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Department.
Protesters started gathering in front of Phuket Airport at noon, after police tore down the People's Alliance for Democracy's main stage at Makkhawan Bridge in Bangkok. Phuket Airport director Vicha Noenlop said prior to the blockade that it should not lead to unpleasant events, as all problems could be discussed.
Around 3pm, it was reported that more police officers were dispatched to Chiang Mai Airport.
Association of Thai Travel Agents president Apichart Sankary said the protesters had not blocked flights, only airport entrances. Their actions had not therefore led to violence, as they only unconvinced inbound and outbound tourists. However, he said, the association would wait and watch the situation but he believed that the protests at airports would affect tourism in the short term.
He added that he hoped the matter would end before September 15, which is the start of the high season for tourism. Otherwise, tourism operators might suggest tourists move to other areas such as Pattaya and Hua Hin instead.
Somchok Chanthong, communications coordinator for the Mae Moh power plant in Lampang and a People's Alliance for Democracy leader in the North, said that if more police were deployed to crush antigovernment protesters at Makkhawan Bridge and Government House, he was ready to lead supporters in the North to shut down the plant.
"If the government does not stop resorting to violent methods and proceeds to dissolve the gatherings, we will immediately block the power plant and ask that as a protest all staff stop generating power. We expect the staff to lend us their cooperation," he said.
According to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, which operates the power plant, Mae Moh has a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, or slightly less than 10 per cent of Egat's total capacity.
Yutana Tapcharoen, governor of the State Railway Authority (SRT), said yesterday that the strike by railway staff had cost the authority Bt3 million in just one day.
About 240 SRT employees - 10 per cent of the agency's staff - took sick leave on Thursday and yesterday, which led to 106 train services being cancelled. The SRT has 240 trains in operation every day. He added that the agency would take urgent measures to prevent the situation from escalating.
The SRT has already set up a committee to study the reasons for the strike, which he believed stemmed from political motivations.
Prakit Shinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said operators were concerned about the political turmoil.
"It is too soon to calculate the effect on hotel and tourism businesses, but operators are not happy with the situation," said Prakit. He added that businessmen who planned to join an interฌnational conference - ITU Telecom Asia, which is scheduled for Bangkok next week - might cancel their attendance if the situation worsens.
Charles Morris, general manager of the Peninsula Hotel Bangkok, said some overseas tourists, particularly from the United States and Europe, would be worried over the situation in Thailand and would be reconsidering their travel plans during the high season between October and January.
However, the number of visitors from Asian countries, especially businessmen, is expected to increase from last year's level.
The PM has requested an audience with the King, and some sources are saying that the Prime Minister will resign.
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