Bangkok – flights – information

Lufthansa, Cathay

Overseas airlines including Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said they’ll restart flights to Bangkok once Thai officials certify the airport is ready. About 750 flights a day haven’t been able to get in or out of the airport, Asia’s fourth busiest.

“After it opens again, there is no question we will return to Bangkok,” Deutsche Lufthansa AG spokesman Thomas Jachnow said by phone. “Of course, we have to check for any damage after the protests.”

Japan Air

Japan Airlines Corp., Asia’s largest carrier by sales, canceled flights to Bangkok again today and won’t resume them until the airport confirms that operations have returned to normal, said Hisanori Iizuka, a spokesman for the airline. The carrier is operating special flights to the U-Tapao military airfield east of Bangkok to pick up stranded passengers.

Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia’s largest airline, said it was closely monitoring the situation and hadn’t made a decision yet on when it will resume flights to Thailand.

Singapore Airlines Ltd. also said it would wait to resume flights until the airport declares itself ready. The carrier said demand for flights out has diminished in recent days as tourists have left by alternative means.

All Nippon Airways Co. has canceled flights planned from U- Tapao tomorrow after being informed Bangkok’s main airport would open starting Dec. 5, the carrier said today. Bahraini carrier Gulf Air and Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Bhd. will also resume flights on Dec. 5, the companies said in e-mailed statements.

Deutsche Lufthansa is diverting flights to Phuket until next Friday, Jachnow said. “If the situation in Bangkok doesn’t allow, we will continue to fly to Phuket.”

Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s largest carrier, will resume Bangkok flights on Dec. 5, it said in an e-mailed statement.

First International Flights

The first international flights may leave for Sydney and Rome just after midnight on Dec. 5, to mark the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s head of state, according to the airport’s operator. Cargo flights are already operating, AOT said.

Airports – resume flights

From the New York Times…about 2 hours ago…

BANGKOK — Relief spread through Thailand on Wednesday as the main international airport creaked back to life after a weeklong siege by antigovernment protesters.

Cleaning crews scrubbed Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the sprawling $4 billion tourist gateway and regional hub, as protesters filed out of the main terminal, taking souvenir photographs and stopping to ask their leaders for autographs.

Flights began to arrive at Suvarnabhumi on Wednesday for the first time in days, but airport authorities said the resumption of full operations would take longer. Don Muang, the domestic airport which had also been blocked, was to reopen Thursday.

Link here

Travel information – updated December 3rd

WICKED DIVING

TRAVEL UPDATE INFORMATION

As part of our ever present emphasis on service and safety – once again we want to keep you informed…this is the most current information we have on transportation and transit inside Thailand. As this is an ever changing situation, please avoid rumors and check in our reliable sources.

Currently the most up to the moment and least prone the sensationalism are the BBC & Bloomberg.

Just a few minutes ago…..

The first flight has arrived at Bangkok’s main airport since anti-government protesters ended a week-long takeover.

A Thai Airways jetliner carrying passengers from the resort island of Phuket landed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport Wednesday, at 0715 GMT.

The plane arrived hours after leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy officially returned control of the facility to airport officials and ordered their followers to leave.

Airport officials say normal operations should resume within 24 to 48 hours.


That does mean that many flights are still canceled, especially those scheduled in the next 24-48 hours, but after that….we will see you here!


As a sidenote – please understand that this is politics, and no tourists were harmed, hurt or even intimidated in any way. While the well-earned reputation of the Thai people as diplomats still stands…they are also to be respected for their politcal theater!

The Latest Information Regarding Transportation in the Area….

WICKED DIVING

TRAVEL UPDATE INFORMATION

As part of our ever present emphasis on service and safety – once again we want to keep you informed…this is the most current information we have on transportation and transit inside Thailand. As this is an ever changing situation, please avoid rumors and check in our reliable sources.

Currently the most up to the moment and least prone the sensationalism are the BBC Bloomberg.

Here is the latest from the BBC

Thai anti-government protesters have agreed to end their occupation of Bangkok’s airports, allowing thousands of stranded tourists to leave.

Passenger flights from the main international airport could resume as soon as 4 December, say correspondents…. click BBC for the full story.

From Reuters:

Thai Court Disbands Ruling Party
 

A cargo flight bound for Kuala Lumpur left Suvarnabhumi on Tuesday, a welcome sight for a tourist- and export-dependent economy already suffering from the global financial crisis.

 

A senior airport official earlier said cargo flights could resume as soon as shippers and airlines were ready…..

So basically, the short of it all is that there are now incoming flights to Thailand expected within 24 hrs, and Survarnabhuim Airport in Bangkok will resume full operation by December 15, 2008 –

Please check with your airlines for up to date information or any questions!

Simlan Islands – best diving in the world?

The Guardian newspaper in Britain certainly thinks so – The Similan Islands are listed as the 9th best diving in the world! Why not see if they are right?

To quote:
“9. Surin and Similan Islands, Thailand Close to the border between Thai and Burmese waters lie a string of islands in the Andaman Sea. There is an element of “wilderness diving” hereabouts and a huge choice of little visited dive sites. At Koh Bon, the pinnacle rises from the ocean depths and attracts groups of feeding game-fish as well as whale sharks, mantas and leopard sharks. Richelieu Rock is a similarly rich site, world famous among experienced divers for the plethora of macro-life inhabiting its coral encrusted slopes.”

So we have similan liveaboard trips departing twice weekly – only 3 days and 2 nights, so we can easily fit your schedule. In addition we are the only eco-friendly boat operating. We use organic soaps, detergents and shampoos and they are all biodegradable so we don’t affect the corals. In addition we use biofuels, all organic cotton sheets and towels. The trips include reef awareness dives and we actively work to preserve the reefs and the islands.

We are also doing two whale shark research trips in 2009 – In February and March.

When you dive with Wicked, you make a difference

More pictures from our recent trips to the Similan Islands. With some of the best dive sites in Asia as well as great service – our Similan Liveaboard offers the best of all worlds!