UPDATE
TEN flights between Bangkok and Europe and Europe and Bangkok have been cancelled, and more cancellations can be expected. Many travellers from Europe make their way to Phuket via Bangkok
The flights that have been cancelled are: Bangkok-London TG-910; Bangkok-Paris TG-930; Bangkok-Copenhagen TG-950; Bangkok-Oslo TG-954; Bangkok-Stockholm TG-960; London-Bangkok TG-911; Paris Bangkok TG-931; Copenhagen-Bangkok TG-951; Oslo-Bangkok TG-955; Stockholm Bangkok TG-961. More detail around the clock on 02 23561111.
Original Report
NO cancellations or delays because of the Iceland volcano have yet been reported at Phuket International Airport, General Manager and Airports of Thailand vice president Prathuang Somkhom said today.
He said Phuket airport usually received about 30 flights from Europe a week, most of them charter flights.
Wing Commander Prathuang did add, however, that cancellations from China and Japan had already meant that numbers of flights coming and going had dipped by two percent so far in April compared with last year.
Strong passenger arrival and departure figures in the first three months of 2010 indicated that Phuket was making a comeback as a destination after the global financial crisis, despite the uncertainty caused by red shirt street protests in Bangkok.
However, the always-sensitive Asian markets of China, Japan and Korea produced cancellations after the street protests turned deadly in Bangkok last weekend. The protests began on March 12 and seem likely to continue, with the risk of more violence now seen as being greater.
The huge cloud of volcanic ash now hovering over Europe is likely to impact on flights to and from Bangkok and Phuket if it lingers into the weekend.
Phuket News UPDATE Thousands stranded by ash; Bombs kill eight in Burma; Bomb bid to black out Bangkok; Final showdown tipped; Malaysia halts Iran gasoline. Phuket Events
MediaWATCH: Volcano Burp Shuts Down Europe
Phuket Expat Dies in Popular Restaurant
Latest A French resident of Phuket collapsed and died after ordering a meal at a popular shorefront restaurant. The man looked sad, staff said, because his wife and daughter had left him.
Phuket Expat Dies in Popular Restaurant
Phuket Plays the Game . . . But Bangkok?
Phuket's Economy Phuket's latest major events for tourists reflect the growing concern about Bangkok and the inevitability that the island will pay a large price for continued uncertainty.
Phuket Plays the Game . . . But Bangkok?
Jet-Ski Crash Tourist's Future Rides on Talks
Latest Mediation talks are set to continue after the death of a tourist in a jetski collision. One of the man's friends remains on Phuket, awaiting a third round of negotiations.
Jet-Ski Crash Tourist's Future Rides on Talks
Phew, glad about that. Phuket also escaped unscathed from the recent Peruvian glacier tsunami, the Chinese earthquake, the decision by Toyota to suspend sales of Lexus GX 460 and the news that India supposedly possesses more mobile phones than loos...
No, seriously, it's great that PW keeps us abreast of ALL the news, whether local or from afar, relatively relevant or not.
BTW just heard that Mafeking has been relieved. Sent your best reporter, with cleft sticks and collapsible canoe, now!
Editor: The William Boot we remember was never a nit-picker. However, if it's old news you want, there's oodles of it on the sites that take their lead from Phuketwan and republish days or even weeks later. Incidentally, how are you surviving in the lean freelance jungle?
Posted by William Boot on April 16, 2010 15:02