Hi

Just thought I'd update you on the current situation:

The girls arrived to get the bus in Hat Yai at twelve and caught the half twelve bus. They were told it would take around twelve hours. Then they arrived at Surat Thani and told they were to arrive in Bangkok at half-five in the morning!

I'm currently stuck in an internet cafe as my aunt has wandered off and with not idea where I'm sleeping tonight! Early start tomorrow though.

Ridiculously excited.

x

Hey

Managed to speak to girls on MSN a while back and this is what's happening:

They're gettin the 4pm bus to Hat Yai on the Thai-Malay border from Singapore. They arrive at 7:30 and are then getting the 9am bus to Bangkok. I'll pick them up from Mo Chit (the bus terminal in BKK) at around 10pm and take them to my house. A good 24+ hours on a bus for the girls.

I can't wait to see them! Wahey!

x

WEll nice to have the latest from you and to hear you are safe I am in London with Jane having had lunch with janet who has been to the palace to get her OBE from the Queen - logged onto STA web to see your message there as the latest update for everyone to read - brill Hope you manage to sort out the next steps to Thailand it sounds that things may be on the mend in Thailand so hopefully it will all work out let me know how you have sorted flights etc and visa???? Anyway sure you will cope - really love the blog update thanks I will let your MUm know where you are xx

Somchai has stepped down. The PPP have been dissolved. The PAD demonstrators are to leave the airports shortly. All good news!

Keep me posted with the situation with the girls via phoning my parents, please. I can only come online once a day!

Thanks

Ellen

hahah have no idea wat all that is

but its [email protected]

xx

just to let anyone know whos trying to get in touch with dad (steve hamilton :) ) that his new address is Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

[email protected]

just cos i think his other one has stopped working.

:D xxx

P.S. Cathay or their subsidiary, are your carrier Sin /Bkk

H,L,&R.Have been in touch with Lory at STA travel who advises-- as soon as you arrive in SIN Airport (due 17.15 local ) go to the Cathy Pacific desk & enquire the situation re diversions etc bearing in mind the situation of Ellen's house (her message of yesterday explains )Use the Amex if you need to.Don't worry the amount ,we will sort it when you return. You will have great story to tell when you get home --worth a few Vodkas !!.Keep safe God Bless. Gm & Gd M

Tune in next week for Newsnight with Ellen Ferrie, where she will be reviewing the rights of homosexual bulls within the farming community of Norfolk and why sex with family members is considered acceptable in Tudhoe, County Durham.

hi just got back from germany had a good hol not as good as yours though sounds like yous are having a good time keep safe and enjoy love pauline k

Hi there still having computer problems so unable to keep regular contact as yet. Love reading all about all your adventures when ever possible. You are obviously having a great time, long may it continue for you! Sounds like your plans should be ok with what i read from Ellen but exercise caution at all times and keep safe . Lots of love to you all mum gran chloe bubbles oddly xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi

I've been looking on the internet and the girls would be flying SGN to BKK with Jet Star airways. Their website says that flights are being diverted to Pattaya which is 140km south of Bangkok so the flights have not been cancelled. If they still choose to come then I will meet them there with my cousin and go directly back to my house which is about 240km north of Bangkok in Nakhon Sawan; which has not experience any problems.

As for the current political situation in Thailand:

The PAD (the anti-Govt group) have stated that they will not leave the airports until the Govt dissolves parliament and the PM quits. The PM, Somchai, has said his democratically-elected Govt will not leave and has the support of most people (they're supported by rural Thais as their lives have been greatly improved since the PPP and before them Thaksin's TRT party came to power. Not that they're socialist, they just know who keeps them in power and whose vote they can buy.) This has all been happening for months and stems from the time Thaksin was in charge. The main probem the PAD have is that they think the current PM and previous PM, who was forced to quit, are simply proxies for Thaksin and are carrying out his orders. They're calling the Govt corrupt, accusing them of vote-buying, amongst other things. All of which is true. Yet, at the same time the conservative PAD could be accused of being anti-democracy as they want to return to an elitist voting system; and are supported and funded by the urban middle and upper classes. There's another issue, which I can't discuss in Thailand, but this blog does: http://thaienews.blogspot.com/2008/11/blog-post_4511.html

Things are reaching fever pitch at the moment - but only in BKK, everywhere else is fine and no one's worried. I think there'll be a coup though. Everyone's saying that things will be back to normal in a couple of days but I don't know; they said the First World War was going to be over by Christmas and look what happened there.

The way things are planned the girls won't be in BKK for a good while and they certainly won't be going to the problem areas such as around Don Muang and the Houses of Parliament. We can go arond BKK to get further south or to Cambodia so that won't affect any other travel plans.

Overall, my advice for the girls would be to carry on as normal as the rest of the country is doing so but it's up to them and you, their parents, to decide.

My phone number is +6682406534 in Thailand; but if you want talk to my parents in Durham then phone 3779032 and discuss the situation with them and then they can let me know. My e-mail address is [email protected] if you want to get in touch in that way. A handy website is bangkokpost.net and that'll keep you up-to-date with what's going on. I asked my mum last night about what she thought and she said everyone was just being silly and that there's nothing to worry about; it seems a daft thing to say but she's been through more coups in her lifetime than I've had hot dinners so she knows her stuff.

I hope this has given you a clearer insight in to what's going on and some peace of mind!

Ellen