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Three Thai airports close
after protesters vandalise Phuket terminal
Three major tourism-and-trade oriented airports in southern Thailand
were closed last Friday due to People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
vandalism and interference with airport operations in three provinces.
Serirat Prasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand (AoT),
said he had cancelled all flights at the three tourist-packed airports –
Phuket International, Krabi and Hat Yai - until further notice after
anti-government protesters invaded Phuket International airport.
First Phuket airport was ordered closed indefinitely after more than one
thousand PAD demonstrators forced their way into the passenger terminal,
smashing glass doors and partitions, while others blocked airport
entrances.
The closure order was made jointly by the Phuket provincial governor and
the director of the airport, with all aircraft stopped from landing or
departing as of 5 pm Friday in order to prevent further violence.
Before the closure was announced, protesters rampaged through the
passenger terminal, causing much damage to property as they proceeded.
PAD leaders called on the protesters not to destroy airport property,
and they called on them to move outside to facilitate passengers to
board buses. The protesters later moved out as requested by their
leaders, but the damage had already been done.
Last Friday PAD protesters also blocked entrances at two other southern
airports in Krabi, near Phuket, and at Hat Yai international airport,
causing hundreds of passengers to miss their flights. (TNA)
Etihad slashes
Ramadan airfares
Etihad Airways has cut many of its air fares up to 50 per cent for
travel during the Ramadan month and autumn period. The promotion will
run from September 1 to November 10.
Some of the discounts include 37 per cent off return economy flights
from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok and 30 per cent off for flights to Kuala
Lumpur. All prices exclude taxes. (TTG)
THAI to increase
frequency to Moscow
Thai Airways International plans to add the frequency of the direct
thrice-weekly service on Bangkok-Moscow to four flights per week from October.
Executive vice-president for commercial, Pandit Chanapai, said the airline
anticipated the demand from Russians for Thailand would increase significantly
during the high season, which starts in October, hence increasing the flight
frequency on the route was commercially viable.
Last year, there were 279,771 Russian arrivals to Thailand or a 46.60 per cent
growth over 2006, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. (TTG)
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