transpac

Flights cancelled over floating lantern fears


NEARLY 100 domestic and international flights to Chiang Mai International Airport have been cancelled or postponed between November 24 and 26 over fears of passenger safety due the sky being littered with floating lanterns from the Loy Krathong Festival.

The same concerns have seen flights cancelled or rescheduled at Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang Airport after 8pm on November 25.

Chiang Mai Airport director Group Captain Wisoot Chantana said yesterday the province had informed airlines about a regulation issued recently that prohibits people from releasing floating lanterns in Muang, Saraphi, Hang Dong, Mae Rim and San Sai districts, except for 10am to noon and after 9pm on November 25.

He said airport officials were instructed to check and clear runways 10 times a day between November 24-26.

As of Monday, airlines had cancelled 62 flights covering 9,300 passengers during the period, he said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nati...-30273086.html


Note: While this article is dated today it reads like it is from last year? I'd expect similar effects next week.

aBroadAbroad

In response to earlier dengue/DEET discussion, this is purely anecdotal (i.e., n=1), but I mix a few drops of pure peppermint oil with about 200ml of coconut oil and apply it when I know I'm likely to encounter increased skeeter activity. Especially to my feet and ankles. (What is about those spots that they love so much???)

So far, perfect record. Note that I'm not super attractive to them in the first place, but when they do bite, I tend to have a major reaction. In my experience, they do not seem to like the peppermint. I've watched them land on me, do a bit of investigating, and take off without dining.

YMMV but it's cheap, safe, and possibly worth a try.

transpac

Don Mueang Terminal nearly ready


Airports of Thailand (AOT) is scheduled to re-open the second terminal at Don Mueang International Airport in December, to increase the capacity to 30 million passengers per year.

Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of AOT, yesterday said the renovations at the second terminal at Don Mueang International Airport were 91.5 per cent complete and it would be re-opened in December.

Currently, Don Mueang serves 650 daily domestic and international flights that carry 90,000-93,000 passengers per day. Once the second terminal is opened, the airport could increase capacity from 18 million passengers per year to 30 million passengers. "More than 70 per cent of passengers at Don Mueang are domestic and the rest are foreigners," he said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30273267.html


(Op piece from last month.)

Don Mueang showing its age

When Don Mueang airport reopened eight years ago, the executives of Airports of Thailand (AoT) probably could never have predicted that the airport would become overcrowded so fast. However, they should...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/o...howing-its-age

transpac

THAI staff threaten strike action


http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/poli...-strike-action

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thai-...ke-action.html

braslvr

Great. We arrive Friday night on TG.

EmailKid

Afternoon for me

EmailKid

Quoting your post in United forum's UA to cancel BKK [now gone] thread after someone posted that only three flights have been cancelled. Maybe it was posted last year after all.

TravelinSperry

Has anyone visited Koh Samui in mid-December? I hear rainy season starts to tail off but rains are still to be expected. Are they all day torrential sorts of rains or are they the sort of rain that comes through and leaves each day for a few hours?

transpac

Gazillions of source for weather data for Samui, one example...

AVERAGES FOR KO SAMUI IN DECEMBER
Temperature
27°C 80°F
Low Temperature
24°C 75°F
High Temperature
29°C 84°F
Sunshine Hours
7 hrs
Chance of Sunny Day
8 %
Rainfall
150mm
Rainfall days
9 days
Chance of Rain
29 %
Chance of Cloudy Day
50 %

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/province.php?id=72

TravelinSperry

Yes, and I've searched them all. But they don't answer my question. Is the rain consistent throughout the day? Or more of afternoon or overnight passing showers?

seanthepilot

transpac

Phuket cops tell female sunbathers to cover up

It's a nice sunny day at the park, you feel like getting your tan on so you strip down to your bikini to catch some rays....only to draw the ire of some total buzzkill cops.

That's what happened to three ladies at Saphin Hin park when Phuket cops, presumably having a quiet moment in between catching hardened criminals, demanded they put some clothes on.

Cops defended their actions, saying they were only trying to ensure the "safety" of the foreign women, reported Phuket Gazette.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/11/2...nbathers-cover

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-...desktopversion

transpac

Security tightened in capital

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha yesterday told the people not to panic if they see more security personnel in the streets of Bangkok during the festive month.

The tightened security came as security officials smashed a so-called “Khon Kaen Model” movement and arrested two of its members. Seven others are being hunted on charge of attempt to incite civil unrest during the festive month when several activities will be held.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/sec...ned-in-capital


Prayut orders beefing up of security

Prime Minister Prayut Chanocha said Friday that he has ordered the police and military to increase security measures throughout the country for the rest of his government's tenure.

He said the focus would be on important tourist destinations, risky locations and areas with traffic congestion.

The PM urged public members not to be startled by a large presence of security personnel who would soon begin patrolling different places all over the country. And more security cameras would also be installed, he added.

The security officers would focus their attention on the upcoming Bike for Dad cycling event to be held on December 11 and they would also cover other big national events like the New Year celebrations, according to the prime minister.

The increased security measures would be maintained for the rest of this administration's tenure, he said.


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...-30273841.html

transpac

The most surprising thing in this article was the huge increase in the crime rate...

And, ultra-Nationalists are whipping up anti-American sentiment.


Thai Economy and Spirits Are Sagging


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/wo...y-tourism.html

Thais are also increasingly fearful of crime. Military rule has somewhat paradoxically coincided with a surge in thefts, burglaries and robberies. The national police recorded more than 75,557 thefts and other property crimes in the fiscal year that ended in September, 63 percent higher than the previous year.

Violent crime was up 17 percent during the same period.

Samorn Thurapan, the noodle seller, says the bad economy has made people more hot-tempered. “People are quick to start fights,” he said. “Buddhist teachings are not restraining them anymore. The bad economy has turned everything upside down.”

Thai Economy and Spirits Are Sagging

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/wo...y-tourism.html

TravelinSperry

Seems like scary media tactics to me. I've been here for two weeks and it's the same as usual. Super friendly country and people. And still the best mango going