Thai Airport Closures — Tourists Try to Escape

Alternative Routes for Travelers Looking for Any Way Out of Thailand

Nov 29, 2008

With Bangkok's airports blocked, travelers are desperately seeking alternative ways to leave the country. These include road and rail border links and via Phuket Airport.

Around 100,000 foreign tourists are currently stranded within Thailand and an estimated additional 30,000 per day are being added to the total, according to the Bangkok Post's November 29th article, "No Way Out". The Thai government has started a painstaking process of flying some passengers out of the military airport at U-tapao, around 3 hours east of Bangkok. Airlines are notifying travelers if this applies to their particular flights.

Using U-tapao Military Airport

Forty-eight designated flights are due to take off from U-tapao, near Pattaya, on Sunday November 30th, with a capacity of around 300 people per plane. This airport will also be used for some incoming flights, which would allow Thais or Thailand expats already outside of the country to fly back home. However, the situation at U-tapao remains very confused, with two of the biggest logistical problems being the limited number of passenger security scanners (one to be exact!) and the number of airplanes physically available. Due to the PAD blockade, airlines have the majority of their planes locked-in at Bangkok’s two airports and therefore cannot be moved.

As a total of 300,000 passengers are expected to be stranded overall, according to Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsura, this will make only a small dent in the numbers stuck here since the PAD protests caused the airport closures, and so many others are looking for escape routes going south.

Using Phuket International Airport

Phuket International Airport currently remains open and operates a limited number of international flights, mainly to Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Existing scheduled flights out of Thailand are currently fully booked into January but the airport is bracing itself for an increase in air traffic, with more flights scheduled due to be redirected to Phuket, which will ease the situation.

As of December 1st, 2008 the privately-owned Bangkok Airways is assisting the current chaos by offering twice-daily flights out of Hua Hin airport, to Singapore and Hong Kong, via Koh Samui. Bangkok-based passengers, who book these flights can be bussed down to Hua Hin (approximately 3-hours drive from Bangkok) using Bangkok Airways' complimentary transport service. These additional flights are likely to be in high demand.

Crossing the Border South by Road

Some travelers are finding their way out by crossing the border of neighboring countries. Alternatives are to travel by road, and join the waiting list for bus and minibus tickets. Due to the high demand, desperate passengers are often willing to pay as much as 4 times the normal price, just to get a seat on a private van.

The main route out by road is through Hat Yai to the Malaysian border and onto Penang or direct to Kuala Lumpur. However, a little known and much more sedate route is the Thai-Malaysia Langawi ferry from the city of Saturn in the south, to the breathtakingly beautiful island of Langawi. This involves a scenic ferry trip of around 75 minutes and immigration points at ferry terminals either side of the border. Buses and private vans to Saturn leave from Phuket (an 8-hour trip) or Hat Yai (a 2-hour trip) and there is also a daily VIP bus direct from Bangkok. There are several scheduled ferry crossings per day, but check timings before travelling as these are subject to alteration.

Langawi has a small international airport and it is possible to get to either the neighboring island of Penang or Kuala Lumpur. Check ticket availability and timings with a local travel agent beforehand. Rather than waiting to get to the ferry terminal, a few kilomoteres away, it is also possible to buy tickets in Satun town.The Thai Ferry Center (tel: 074730511) near Wat Chanathipchaloem is one agency which sells tickets.

Crossing the Border South by Rail

The State Railway of Thailand has a daily sleeper train which runs from Bangkok to Butterworth on the Malaysian border, and passes through Hua Hin and Surat Thani. At Butterworth it is possible to leap on the ferry to Penang, a short distance away, or travel by road a futher 4 - 5 hours down to Kuala Lumpur.

However, for all modes of travel, given the thousands of travelers desperate to leave Thailand any way, any how, ticket competition is fierce and waiting lists are often long.

Thai Visas – Enforced Overstays

Another dilemma for many foreign residents and stranded tourists is the expiry of their current Thai visa. Thailand has stiff overstay penalties, which can involve jail and deportation if caught. According to the Phuket Gazette, November 28th 2008,“Overstay fines exempted for travelers stranded due to Bangkok airport closures" Phuket Police Immigration have now announced that for travelers who can prove that the recent airport closures are responsible for their delayed departure, no overstay penalties will be incurred.

However, Thai Immigration is at pains to point out that overstays would be wavered only on a case-by-case basis, as the current situation should not provide an opportunity for pre-existing overstayers to slip out undetected. According to the Phuket Gazette, travelers would be required to show some kind of documentary evidence (such as air tickets) as they cross the Thai border, to prove their inability to leave Thailand at the required time.

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