BANGKOK - The Thai government is attempting to open the airports as early as today with the police force by their side. Many of the anti government PAD protesters have gone into the two international airports at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang.
Tanks were deployed last night in a 'training' exercise to nearby Suvarnabhumi. They were spotted on the expressway carrying yellow peace flags in the early evening.
Tourists are now traveling to Phuket and Penang by train or overland to Cambodia and Chiang Mai to try and get flight connections home via KL, Singapore and HK. BKK Airways are still flying out of Utopao and have flights via Samui /Phuket to Singapore and HK.
The embattled tourism industry has been hit by astronomical losses. Chaophya Park Hotel in Bangkok has seen occupancy drop to 20 percent for next week. 600 rooms’ nights have been cancelled in the last two days alone.
Almost 80 percent of Thailand's 14 plus million annual tourists’ normally transit through Suvarnabhumi airport and with the closure of the airport; THAI may occur an estimate of 500 million Baht lost in revenue.
