Airport to open this Friday (5th Dec)

[JASONTHAI]

Hundreds of protesters leave Bangkok airport

 

SUVARNABHUMI: -- Hundreds of anti-government protesters began leaving Bangkok's main airport in cars, taxis and buses after ending a crippling eight-day blockade, an AFP correspondent said.

 

Vehicles packed high with demonstrators' belongings began streaming out of Suvarnabhumi shortly after the 10:00 am (0300 GMT) time set by leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy for the end of the protest.

 

The airport authority said the first international flights from the three-billion-dollar airport would resume on Thursday.

 

-- AFP 2008-12-03

 

 

AOT chief says commercial flights from Suvarnabhumi to resume Friday noon

 

BANGKOK: -- Airports of Thailand Plc Acting President Serirat Prasutanond said Wednesday commercial flights may be resumed at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport at noon on Friday although it will take at least a week before the airport could resume full operations.

 

Serirat said passengers would still be required to check in at Bitec exhibition centre on Friday but the first passenger flight could be resumed at the Suvarnabhumi Airport at noon Friday.

 

He said all the systems would have to be checked before the airport could resume the full opertions.

 

The checking would be completed in one week at the soonest or would take no more than two weeks, he said.

 

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

 

 

Suvarnabhumi siege ends

 

BANGKOK: -- Rush to get airport functional again. PAD leaves, claiming 'final battle' won as Somchai no longer PM.

 

People's Alliance for Democracy followers last night started bidding farewell to Suvarnabhumi Airport, bringing an end to their eight-day siege that has caused incalculable damage to the country and the economy.

 

Airport authorities are now rushing to reopen the regional aviation hub, shuttered since it was hijacked on November 25.

 

Serirat Pasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand (AOT), said earlier that Suvarnabhumi could be officially reopened to passenger flights on December 15, but after the PAD began to vacate the premises, he said resumption of services would depend on inspections of the extent of damage to systems and facilities.

 

Claiming to have won their "final battle", the government opponents made their exit after the Constitution Court disbanded the People Power Party and two other government coalition partners - automatically dismissing Somchai Wongsawat as prime minister in the process.

 

Suwannee Samrongwattana, deputy airport director, said several incoming and outgoing flights were operated by eight Thai and foreign carriers at the airport last night.

 

Officials from the airlines and the International Air Transport Association will today start checking security and other systems.

 

More than 200,000 foreign and Thai travellers were stranded by the forced closure of both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

 

Hardest hit are the country's international image, tourism and related industries, with damage estimated in excess of Bt100 billion.

 

Suwannee said protesters last night started to clear out the first, second and third floors of the terminal, while those on the fourth floor agreed to leave today following lengthy negotiations.

 

An airport security team also started inspecting designated areas inside the terminal last night to ensure that all areas are safe to resume operations.

 

AOT yesterday renewed air cargo services at Suvarnabhumi at 9am.

 

Serirat reported that the airport had already lost Bt350 million in revenue, while the shutdown of cargo services had caused lost business opportunities and other costs approaching some Bt25 billion.

 

Thai Airways International and other domestic and international airlines have also suffered tremendously from the mass occupations of the two airports.

 

AOT reported a total of 27 international flights yesterday operated by THAI, AirAsia, Nok Air and China Southern to evacuate passengers still stuck in limbo.

 

ACM Somchai Tien-anant, managing director of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, said a total of 45 flights had taken off from Suvarnabhumi since Sunday after protesters allowed stranded aircraft to leave.

 

He said that now Somchai was no longer prime minister, the PAD had no more excuses to camp out at the airports.

 

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking said in a statement that the incumbent government had lost its capability to manage the country, so other parties should be allowed to form a new administration.

 

"If there is no success, the National Assembly [Parliament] should be dissolved to return the power to the people," it said.

 

The JSCCIB also asked the |PAD protesters to leave the airports immediately and demanded that they stop all unlawful demonstrations.

 

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

 

Update (1.30pm BKK time):

Siege ends: Protesters withdraw from Bangkok airports

 

BANGKOK: -- The anti-government protesters on Wednesday morning withdrew from both Bangkok main airports, clearing the way for resumption of passenger service Thursday.

 

The Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which occupied Suvarnabhumi Airport eight days ago, and Don Mueang one day later, have withdrawn, proclaiming victory in their successful quest to remove now former prime minister Somchai Wangsawat from office.

 

The flow of PAD protesters departing the Thai capital's two airports have been replaced by an army of technical staff, cleaners and maintenance workers to bring the facility back into service.

 

Mr. Serirat Prasutanont, Suvarnabhumi Airport director, said the first six flights to take off from Suvarnabhumi airport will be Thai Airways International (THAI) services departing to Sydney, Delhi, Narita, Frankfurt, Seoul and Copenhagen, he said.

 

Domestic flights were expected to start this afternoon, he said, adding that the first flight would be Phuket to Suvarnabhumi.

 

Cargo flights from Suvarnabhumi resumed December 2.

 

The government earlier assured all 200,000 stranded passengers could board flights to their destinations within 10 days.

 

Many nations sent emergency flights to evacuate their nationals through U-Tapao naval airport and from provincial airports.

 

Meanwhile, Don Mueang airport director acting Flying Officer Anirut Thanomkulbutra said after the situation returned to normal, the airport would discuss with the agencies concerned to resume its services as soon as possible.

 

-- TNA 2008-12-03

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Update 14:00 BKK time:

THAI resumes flights at Suvarnabhumi today Wednesday

 

Thai Airways International is flying six special flights from Suvarnabhumi on Wednesday, the first since the airport was shut down on November 25.

 

TG 9939 to Sydney, leaving at 5.25pm

 

TG 3159 to New Delhi, leaving at 7.50pm

 

TG 6409 to Narita, leaving at 10.35pm

 

TG 9209 to Frankfurt, leaving at 11.40pm

 

TG 6589 to Seoul, leaving at 11.45pm

 

TG 9509 to Copenhagen, leaving at 0.50am

 

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

[Bitch Controller]

I win the bet.

[JASONTHAI]

It had to be sorted out before the King's birthday