Stranded tourists at Bangkok Airport: Photo Essay

Here a some pictures of foreign tourists stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

They are going to remember Thailand for a very long time, as the rest of their lives couldn't be any more boring than this. I wonder if there are any Thai masseurs out there in the airport, as the tourists are going to need a lot of Thai massage.

All Flight Cancelled? Bullshit!



Papa, I want some more coffee



Its your turn dude



Guitar solo playing "One Night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster". Next up.. "Two nights in airport and your ass grows number".



I checked-in first



Sleeping in a trolley with my favorite jeans on



We should have taken that flight to Chiang Mai last night



Check out my new bed



Now, how do we get back to Patpong?



Mommy, that Thai kid is looking at us



I am so frickin' pissed



I checked-in first class



Somewhere, over the rainbow...



(Photo credits: AP)

Thai Coup Rumors

The words 'Coup' and 'Putsch' are appearing more often on Thai newspapers and websites since yesterday. Coup rumors are being spread widely with a lot of phone calls being made to several newspapers' editorial offices to check whether a coup was being staged.


(Photo credits: Reuters)

Yesterday afternoon, the Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda called on Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to dissolve the House. But Somchai went on TV later in the evening to announce that his government would not resign or dissolve the House.

Will there be another Thai Coup d'état in 2008 / 2009, similar to the one in 2006?




(Photo credits: AP)

It's all up to Gen Anupong Paochinda to stage a coup to prevent himself from being sacked by the Somchai government.

Is the Army chief going to allow Somchai to purge him?

How long Somchai remains in da House is to be seen.

Tourists have fun at airport despite closure

Despite the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport, some farang tourists are enjoying themselves with the PAD.



Many stranded passengers, having missed out on their in-flight entertainment, are seen holding hand clappers and smiling as the PAD protesters distribute food and snacks to them.



Wait a minute! They're even wearing the yellow Ku-chart head bands. Looks like PAD's popularity at the airport is soaring.

The PAD are now responsible for providing in-flight food & entertainment to the stranded tourists? What are the airport officials up to?

The PAD has completely taken control of Suvarnabhumi Airport so any airline that wants to take off or land must seek permission from them directly.



They have shown mercy by allowing only one flight for the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to take off.

The picture below once again reminds me that "with great power comes great responsibility"



Tres BIZARRE!

Somchai in a Peruvian Poncho

Thai Prime minister Somchai Wongsawat is seen wearing a traditional Peruvian poncho along with the other (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) APEC leaders for a group photo in APEC PERU 2008.



In the pictures above and below, Somchai is seen next to George Bush.



APEC leaders don flowing, brown Andean ponchos spun from baby alpaca shearings for a group photo.



Peru's turn to host the summit came as exports of the soft, luxurious fleeces are booming, driven by demand from international fashion enthusiasts and environmentally conscious designers.

Peru's President Alan Garcia looks really huge standing next to Somchai in the photo below.



That was last week.

Today Somchai is telling himself, my airport is blocked. I have no government house, and my temporary office at Don Muang is also seized. I'm now left officeless and airportless, so where do I land? U-Tapao?

Suvarnabhumi International Airport Closed

The Suvarnabhumi International Airport has been ordered closed for security reasons after the PAD protesters seized and blocked key entrance areas leading to the airport.



The Anti-government protesters have blocked the airport in an attempt to disrupt Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat who is supposed to return tomorrow from an APEC summit in Peru.



The Airports Authority of Thailand (AOT) has decided to close the Suvarnabhumi airport after PAD protesters entered passenger terminals and scuffled with airport officials.



The closure, ordered around 9 pm Thai time, involved stopping out-bound flights. In-bound planes are still being allowed to land, but can be diverted to key provincial airports if situation gets any worse.

The order was issued by AOT chief Serirat Prasutanont. He made the decision out of safety concern after PAD protesters penetrated some passenger areas.

"The PAD members are now scattered around. I don't know who's who, or who's PAD and who's not," a senior AOT official told The Nation at around 10.30 pm.

How long the closure lasts is not yet known.

One Two Go Airlines is ready to go

After being grounded for so many months One 2 Go Airlines has finally announced that it is going to start operations from December 5, 2008.



One Two Go's website is ready for online bookings now. They also have a newsletter out, click on the image below for a larger version.



Their new promotion sounds pretty attractive as they mention the word 'free' a lot:

Free Food and Drink
Free Fuel Surcharges
Free First Hold Baggage
Free Second Hold Baggage
Free Choice of seat upon check-in
Free Telephone Reservation
Free On-line reservation

They're also giving away Free Mama Cup Noodles on All Flights!!!



FREE!!! Noodles, All Flights!!!

Oh wait, there's a catch... (written in tiny fonts below): May not be available on all flights?

Chalerm Taweebot aka Eddie The Cute Ghost Dies

Comedian Chalerm Taweebot (Thai: นายเฉลิม ทวีบท), 53, better known as Eddie "The Cute Ghost" died of cancer this morning.



The Noppharat Ratchathani Hospital announced that Chalerm died at 7:20 am Monday morning, 24 November, 2008.

Funeral rites will be held at Mulchinda Temple in Pathum Thani province.



Eddie (Thai: เอ็ดดี้ ผีน่ารัก) played the role of a Caretaker in the 2003 Hong Kong horror movie titled "The Park" (Chow lok yuen). The Park also starred Ploy Chermarn Boonyasak (Laila Boonyasak) who played the character of Pinky.

Below is a poster of the movie The Park (2003)



R.I.P Eddie The Cute Ghost.

Ong Bak 2 releases on Dec 5, Tony Jaa cheerful

The big-budget movie Ong Bak 2, directed by and starring Tony Jaa, is finally coming to cinemas on December 5, which is His Majesty the King's birthday in Thailand.



Tony Jaa or Phanom "Jaa" Yeerum, Thailand's action superstar returns to the big screen with his directorial debut, amidst controversy. Ong Bak 2 is a 300 million Baht project by Sahamongkol Film International.



A new poster for Ong Bak 2 has also been released, with a new face appearing on it, that of Dan Chupong, the leading man of Born to Fight, Dynamite Warrior and Queens of Langkasuka. The film also stars Sorapong Chatree, sporting a bushy black beard. Sorapong is one of the men who rescues Tony Jaa's character as a child.

Ong-Bak 2 is the first Thai movie starring two top male martial artists in major roles according to Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal.

Appearing at this week's press conference, Tony Jaa looked relaxed and was all ready to have a nice chat.





Jaa admits that he was at times obsessed with meditation, but says the depth of his focus enabled him to do better work.

Appearing on Channel 3's variety show "Tee Sib" or "Night At Ten" last Tuesday, Jaa claimed he helped a man recover from illness, a by-product of the strength he gains through meditation. He also claimed that the power he released through his fist, burned a stuntman's ear while shooting a scene.

"I don't know what really happened, but that's my personal belief," he says.



Four months ago, Tony Jaa's apparent obsession with superstitious power landed him in trouble with the studio and resulted in producer Somsak "Sia Jiang" Techarattanapra-sert ordering the action star's mentor, Panna Rittikrai, to help him finish the film.

Jaa has worked hard on his directorial debut, combining several martial arts forms and carefully choreographing moves derived from the sacred Thai masked dance known as Khon (Thai: โขน).

Jaa studied Khon with the acclaimed performer Pichet Klunchuen a few years ago and has transformed the gracious slow movements into a new form of Muay Thai, which he calls Nattayuth.

(Photo credits: dailyxpress.net, thaicinema.org, Modernine.mcot.net, Popcornmag.com)

John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg - PTT Legends in Bangkok

Tennis legends Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe have arrived in Bangkok today to play in the "PTT Legends in Bangkok" tennis match tomorrow at 4 pm Thai time.



Tickets for this special tennis match is priced at 2,000 Baht.

The match will be in a best of three format with a super tie-break in the third set if necessary.



The exhibition match will take place at the National Tennis Development Centre (NTDC), Muang Thong Thani, Chaengwattana Road and telecast live on Thai Channel 7 from 4pm - 5.30pm.

The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) is celebrating its 81st anniversary, and the event will mark the official opening of its headquarters.

Part of the entertainment will feature local boys Paradorn Srichaphan, who will partner Borg in a doubles encounter against Danai Udomchoke and McEnroe.

Sweden's Borg, 49, and American McEnroe, 52, were among the best players of all time, having won 18 Grand Slam titles among them with McEnroe winning 11.

Jitrada Tantiwanichayasuk sentenced to 4 years in jail

Jitrada Tantiwanichayasuk (Thai: น.ส.จิตรลดา ตันติวาณิชยสุข), a 37 year old woman who stabbed four school girls at St. Joseph school with a knife in 2005 has been sentenced to four years in jail by the Criminal Court. The penalties were commuted from eight years to four years because the she confessed.



The court said Jitrada has had mental problems for years, and will be sent to receive medical treatment at a hospital after serving her jail term.



On September 9, 2005, Jitrlada or Pet (Thai: เป็ด), then 34, stabbed and seriously injured four students at girls-only Saint Joseph Convent School in the heart of Bangkok. One of the students was critical wounded but later recovered.



After the attack, Jitrada escaped from the school in a motorcycle taxi. She later landed a job at a restaurant in Chatuchak area, and shortly afterwards the restaurant owner alerted police after recognizing her from a police sketch that led to her arrest.

Psychiatrists treating Jitrada after the attack decided she is mentally ill.

Wearing a pink spaghetti-strap top and a pair of blue shorts, Jitrada showed no signs of remorse at a police press conference in 2005, remaining silent and ignoring the throng of reporters and photographers.

Later Jitrada allegedly told police investigators that she had heard an order from heaven telling her to do something to rich Indians and Chinese because they had taken advantage of Thai people.

She said she had visited both the Mater Dei School and the Saint Joseph Convent School and chosen the latter because the children there were richer and the school had a nicer and more orderly environment.





A criminal with that kind of look on her face is easier to spot in lakorns than in real life, just look at her facial expressions in all those pictures!

Salad Bar Architecture at Pizza Hut

Here is a creative way to maximize your return on investment (ROI) at the Pizza Hut's salad bar. Remember, you only get one trip to the salad bar, so make it count!

Go ahead and try it at your own risk! And don't blame me if you get booted from the restaurant or get into a salad bar brawl over a bowl.

Caution: Please don't try this too often or else the manager dude at 1150 Pizza Hut is going to get really annoyed.

















Hey fellas! Check out my salad bowl!



Thanks to some Taiwanese students who constructed this creative salad bar architecture. There is also a YouTube video of how it's done.

If you dislike the idea that Pizza Hut is expensive and you are not allowed to pick your salad more than once, you can always go to Sizzler where you can sit near the salad bar and make as many trips as you like.