Other News
November 30, 2008 16:39 PM
Stranded Passengers At Wits End To Flee Thailand
By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- With the only available airport badly congested and train tickets to Malaysia sold out until Dec 10, stranded foreigners are running out of patience and cash as they chase any means to return home.
There are only 48 flights scheduled Sunday at the Utapao Airport near Pattaya, up from 18 Saturday, but hardly comparable to the 400 flights daily at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which has been closed down by thousands of protesters along with the Don Muang airport catering for domestic routes.
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has scheduled three flights today. One of MAS flights yesterday had to return to Kuala Lumpur due to the severe congestion at Utapao.
The Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok is arranging buses for affected passengers who want to return home via Hatyai, and the second bus left Bangkok today while its consular section remain opened Sunday to cater for hundreds of foreigners who want to travel to Malaysia before taking a connecting flight there.
The lack of seats is causing massive problems for airlines with over 100,000 stranded passengers to deal with, which could rise to over 300,000 in the next few days if the airports saga continues.
V. Pathmanaathan, who came with his wife, mother-in-law and three children, was furious with the attitude of the Go Insure company which refused to accommodate his request for reimbursement for flight delay and pay his hotel fees.
"I took the insurance together with my AirAsia ticket so that I will have some kind of protection in this kind of situation. But instead of helping, they are asking me to use the hotel provided by the Thai Government for stranded passengers," said the business development manager of Nivas Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd.
Pathamanaathan, who came to the Novotel Bangna Hotel where Thai AirAsia have set up their check-in facilities before passengers are taken by bus to Utapao, said they have yet to get a seat on the airline's 'rescue flights'.
AirAsia is mounting its third rescue flight today, taking back 180 passengers while 72 were put on stand-by.
Some passengers are frustrated that they could not get through to the airline's hotline.
"I am running out of cash and I still don't know when is my flight as the hotline is not accessible. Asia Asia staff here said they will contact me once there is a seat available...for the time being I don't know what else to do as I am running out of cash," said Jill Lum, who came here from Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 to attend a Yoga conference.
Another fellow passenger, known only as Lim, said he went to the train station to buy ticket to Penang but was told all tickets have been sold out until Dec 10.
Maimunah Gholam, who came to visit relatives here with her family, said her flight to Johor Baharu was cancelled and they were still unable to get any seats.
"No one contacted us and it was tiring calling the hotline as it's always on busy tone," she said.
An engineer from Penang, K. Puveantheran said his name was missing from the confirmed passenger manual for the AirAsia flight today despite being confirmed yesterday, and decided to stay at the same hotel to ensure he can get back on the next flight.
While outbound flights remained few, many are making alternative arrangements to flee the country, including renting bus, car and vans to travel to the Thai-Malaysia border.
"My company just chartered buses to send over 130 of our staff who came from various parts of the world to attend meetings here. Kuala Lumpur and Penang are the nearest alternative for everyone now," said an executive of a gas company.
Even private jets are being sought by wealthy foreigners, with many flying to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
-- BERNAMA
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