Suvarnabhumi Airport Thailand

THAI PROTESTERS ABDUCT POLICE OFFICER AT AIRPORT- By Chris lake

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Anti-government protesters occupying Thailand's international airport seized a police officer, escalating tensions in a four-day standoff that appeared headed for a violent confrontation Saturday. The trouble started after about 1,000 demonstrators moved in on a police checkpoint near the Suvarnabhumi international airport, triggering a showdown that ended without violence when officers hastily withdrew. Police, many in full riot gear, had a much more visible presence Saturday with several hundred in the area. Associated Press reporters saw one policeman being grabbed at the checkpoint by three protesters, forcibly put in a vehicle, and driven away toward the airport controlled by the demonstrators.
It was not immediately known if the officer was still being held.

How weird is this? We are stranded in Bangkok and cannot leave. At least we have a place to stay and are not at the airport, but we are still stranded. If we want to go home, we will have to drive to Vientiane, Laos or Phnom Penn, Cambodia in order to fly out of the country. The domestic airport is also being held hostage, so we can't fly to Laos or Cambodia, but would have to drive for many hours, then fly out.

This is the tourist season in Thailand. It is cool and pleasant and there are many thousands of people that are vacationing here who are now cooling their jets at the airport. They missed Thanksgiving with their families. They are saying that they are going home and would never in a million years ever come back to Thailand. I can't say that I blame them. If I were stuck in a big building with thousands of disgruntled travellers, I would be saying the same thing. The people who think they know these things, say that the tourism industry has been forever ruined. I don't think so. As soon as the airports reopen there will be folks lining up to come here. This is a nice place and a safe place and the tourism industry will bounce back, but it will take time. About 20 minutes. In the mean time, don't keep the porch light on for me. I may not be home for a bit and guess what? I don't care! I like it here.