THAILAND and its tourism industry are being reported in an unfavorable way around the world today with as many as 350,000 travellers unable to leave the country.

Thousands of others who would have come to Thailand have cancelled their holidays or diverted to rival destinations.

Phuket will again be a gateway to escape today for stranded passengers from Bangkok, with a bus trip of 12 hours or more part of the price of freedom for many tourists seeking a way out.

Three extra SilkAir flights are due out of Phuket today to Singapore, with more each day this week.

In Britain, the Times Online said that Britons stuck in Bangkok say they have been abandoned by the British government because of its failure to provide rescue flights.

A Foreign Office spokesman was quoted as saying: ''Our role is to provide consular assistance.The airlines provide hotels and flights.''

By contrast, Australia has put three embassy officials on the check-in concourse at Phuket International Airport and at other airports where Australians are trying to book flights.

Australian Ambassador Paul Grigson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: ''It's difficult to know exactly how many are stranded but it's in the hundreds at the very least.
'
''More and more people are in trouble as they come off their holidays and find the flights they were booked on are not flying.''

The estimate of 350,000 trapped travellers, including Thais seeking to leave the country, was made by Sasithara Pichaichannarong, permanent secretary at the tourism ministry, in an interview with the AFP news agency.

Earlier, Tourism and Sport Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said that the number of foreign tourists stranded in Thailand has reached 240,000.

He added that he would ask for a special financial package worth 10 billion baht to help small and medium-sized operators in tourism and related industries.

Khun Weerasak said that 40,000 tourists had been flown out since the blockade began.

Anti-government protesters have allowed 37 empty aircraft to leave Bangkok's main airport. A total of 88 aircraft were held there when anti-government protesters invaded.

The blockade is one week old today. The influential Dow Jones news agency began its report: ''Thailand's protracted political crisis is choking its economy and deeply scarring the country's image as a popular global tourist destination.''

Many tourists from Bangkok have been diverted to a small military airport at U-tapao, in nearby Rayong province, where conditions are triggering frustrations. One Australian television outlet has reported fighting among passengers.

Australian barman Luke Kennedy, who broke his leg in two places and dislocated his hip in a motor bike accident in Pattaya last week, said: ''It's been so bad, unbearable really. You wouldn't believe it.''

Khun Weerasak said in a broadcast interview: ''U-Tapao is very crowded now. We will divert some flights to two airports in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Chiang Mai and Phuket will also help send stranded passengers out.''

The main international terminal at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport can still be accessed, including areas housing the immigration checkpoints and x-ray machines, with U-tapao passengers advised to allow seven hours for processing before their flights.

Restarting the Bangkok airport will take at least a week from the time the protesters leave because of security and technical system checks, officials say.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is believed to be compensating tourists with 2000 baht a day to meet the cost of additional accommodation.

Phuket Vice Governor Vorapot Rattasima declined to speculate yesterday on the total cost to tourism on Phuket of the blockade of Bangkok's two main airports by anti-government protestors.

The Dow Jones report noted that Thailand is a major international hub for light manufacturing, including electronics and auto parts, and a critical link in supplies for many multinational companies.

''Many businesses rely heavily on Bangkok's airports to move their goods and supplies,'' the DJ report added, detailing problems being experienced by book and food importers.

It quoted a National Economic and Social Development Board estimate that Thailand could suffer 146 billion baht ($4.14 billion) in losses from the airport closures.

''At Bumrungrad International, an ultramodern Bangkok hospital popular with foreigners, an official says two dozen patients or more wanted to check out, but couldn't because they had nowhere to go,'' the report added.

The Wall Street Journal's laterst report is headed 'Standoff in Bangkok, Thailand's democracy is teetering.'

''With the global financial crisis in full swing, now is an especially dangerous time for Thailand to fall into political disarray,'' the WSJ says.

''The country depends on tourism and exports, both of which are suffering big hits from the airport closures. Economic growth next year is expected to fall below three percent.''

Singapore has become one escape route for trapped tourists. Flights out will continue today, with Silk Air announcing extra scheduling to carry passengers from Phuket to Changi Airport.

SilkAir To help clear the build-up of customers who have been affected by the closure of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, SilkAir will be mounting 13 additional flights between Singapore and Phuket between today (December 2) and Sunday (December 7), operated by Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft. This is in addition to the four to five regularly-scheduled flights per day on the route. The 13 flights will consist of two additional daily flights every day till Sunday, except today, when there will be three additional flights. SilkAir will continue to monitor the situation in Thailand closely and will add capacity to its Thai routes in the coming days, if demand requires. As at Monday December 1, SilkAir has mounted eight additional flights to Phuket and three additional flights to Chiang Mai to cater for stranded passengers affected by the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Since 26 November 2008, SilkAir has been accepting Singapore Airlines tickets between Bangkok-Singapore for travel on Phuket-Singapore or Chiang Mai-Singapore, without additional charges. Customers who wish to book themselves on SilkAir flights to and from Chiang Mai or Phuket should call +66 2 353 6000, +66 7630 4018/19/20 or +65 6225 4488 (office hours). Alternatively, they can call +65 6223 8888 (24 hours). Customers can stay up-to-date with new developments on Thailand flights on the News Flash page on silkair.com, or the Breaking News page on the Singapore Airlines website, singaporeair.com.



Latest Photo Album From Phuket Airport
Phuket airport has become a key evacuation site for hundreds of stranded tourists as several airlines add special flights out. Other tourists are being forced to catch buses.
Latest Photo Album From Phuket Airport