Do I make a booking to visit LOS?

Hi, everybody. I have been visiting Thailand once a year for over 10 years, in November. Is it wise to go ahead with booking the flights, or is the chance of disruption by political protests too great? I remember that my visit in 2008 was prolonged by several days due to the Bangkok airports occupation by protesters.

I am not planning to visit Bangkok itself, but to visit my usual haunts, Pattaya and Phuket.

Any advice?

[allieb]

Just book it and go. Whatever will be will be. Don't be negative

I hear the civil war is due to start on the 31st of October and will last for 6 weeks. Anyway what makes you thing your UK airport will be operating?

[lonelywombat]

Come it is not that bad Investigate your options of flying out of Phuket flying from U Tapoa.
Why not come in via Singapore for a change?

I am sure there are flights to Singapore and many other Asian capitals.

[DCbob]

I have no problem, I was caught in the same way as you in 2008, but I have my reservations leaving for BKK on November 26.

[Beachlover]

I'm curious:

Did anyone who was caught in the airport blockade have their accommodation and living expenses paid for by the TAT or Thai Government as they announced would happen?

How did it work?

Thanks for your replies. I guess I will go ahead and book.

Regarding Beachlover's question about compensation for accommodation costs, in my case I didn't bother to claim. I was staying in Patong Beach. When my flight to UK was definitely cancelled I booked myself from HKT to LHR by Malaysian Airlines on the earliest date available. That meant an extra 4 nights, and I was able to stay on at the same resort. I cancelled my original bookings via Bangkok, and did eventually get refunds.

I'm curious:

Did anyone who was caught in the airport blockade have their accommodation and living expenses paid for by the TAT or Thai Government as they announced would happen?

How did it work?

I was delayed in Bangkok for three days and the hotel wrote off 2000 Baht a day from my account, I think that was the maximum compensation offered. All I had to do was to sign a form and let them take a copy of my flight schedule from my ticket.

[ceejay]

If you're really worried about an airport closure, book a flight to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then use a regional carrier, booked separately, to fly on to Thailand. It might be inconveniencing, but it won't be impossible, to get to Malaysia or Singapore if Bangkok is closed, unless it closes within 24 hours or so of your departure - then you might have time problems.

[DCbob]

I was on the way to Thailand.
Got a call the morning that I was supposed to leave, telling me that I could go from Washington, DC to Korea, but no flights out for Thailand. They would fly me when they could.
I elected to not go, and stayed in my home in D.C. and when they opened it up, the price had gone up another $1,000.00, so I flew out of JFK New York instead and the extra was only about $200.00 and I paid that my self. No problem getting my money back for my original ticket, that took about 2 hours. And I bought the other one.

[Beachlover]

I was delayed in Bangkok for three days and the hotel wrote off 2000 Baht a day from my account, I think that was the maximum compensation offered. All I had to do was to sign a form and let them take a copy of my flight schedule from my ticket.

Cool... Sounds like it was fairly well organised then, using the hotels as agents. I was just curious because I remember that announcement but didn't hear about any sort of follow through.

Only 2,000 baht a night is a bit low but certainly better than nothing.

I wonder how much the compensation cost them in total.

[Beachlover]

If you're really worried about an airport closure, book a flight to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then use a regional carrier, booked separately, to fly on to Thailand. It might be inconveniencing, but it won't be impossible, to get to Malaysia or Singapore if Bangkok is closed, unless it closes within 24 hours or so of your departure - then you might have time problems.

That's a good idea. And if you're open to holidaying elsewhere, then if there's unrest in Thailand when the time comes, you still fly into KL or Singapore and take a regional flight elsewhere.... like Vietnam, Cambodia or maybe stay in Malaysia... all without the hassle of altering your long-haul flight plans.

A possible downside however: I wonder if by not having your long-haul flight going direct to Thailand, it will be impossible or more difficult to claim compensation/refund for costs or cancellations incurred... from the airlines or insurance or other.