Thai authorities are to reopen Bangkok‘s Suvarnabhumi international airport on Friday, as a birthday present to the country’s popular King Bhumibol Adulyadej who turns 81.
The move comes after Thailand’s airports chairman found little damage following an inspection. The Bangkok‘s Suvarnabhumi international airport was due to reopen on December 15, after being closed for nearly a week when anti-government protesters took over the building. But  the reopening date was moved forward because an inspection found the airport could become operational more quickly.

more Suvarnabhumi Airport december 2008 update

The Bangkok‘s Suvarnabhumi international airport opened for cargo ships yesterday.

Thai protesters ended their siege of  Bangkok‘s Suvarnabhumi international airport after a court dissolved the country’s ruling party and banned the prime minister from politics for five years.

Government supporters in Thailand converged on Bangkok Sunday, where rival protestors have taken control of the city’s two airports and forced the prime minister to rule from afar.
The army or Thailand’s king have not yet stepped in to resolve the growing crisis. They also haven’t fully backed Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat either.

The closing of the airports has left about 100,000 travellers stranded and crippled Thailand’s tourism industry.

Explosions in Bangkok wounded 51 people Sunday, adding to the sense that the political violence has turned the country into a de facto state of anarchy.

The first explosion occurred after a grenade landed on a tent at Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s compound, which has been occupied by protesters since August.

Nine of the 49 people injured in that attack have been hospitalized, according to Surachet Sathitniramai of the Narenthorn Medical Center.

Four of the hospitalized were in serious condition.

Twenty minutes after the attack on the prime minister’s compound, two explosions hit a government television station. No injuries were reported in those incidents, said Suriyasai Katasiya, a spokesperson for the protesters.

Two people were also wounded in a pre-dawn explosion on a road that runs by the main entrance to Bangkok’s Don Muang domestic airport.

Tensions are running high between Thai law enforcement officials and anti-government protesters, who have occupied both the Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

see also Thai protesters at Bangkok’s international airport updates

Travellers have been stranded in Bangkok after an anti-government group known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy overran the Suvarnabhumi airport, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

The group charges that Somchai is a puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a 2006 military coup. Thaksin fled Thailand rather than face corruption charges.

Somchai has been running his government out of the northern city of Chiang Mai since the protest group took over his office compound.

Somchai’s supporters held a rally in support of their leader in downtown Bangkok Sunday and have vowed to stay in the city overnight.

Thailand’s national deputy policy chief, Lt. Gen. Pongpat Pongjaroen, said Sunday that law enforcement officials are negotiating with protesters to end hostilities.

However, a leader of the protest group refuted that claim.

Hong Kong weather December : Fall Weather In Hong Kong. We start with Hong Kong weather in fall (September – Mid-December), as this is firmly the best time to land in Hong Kong. During fall, humidity is low, while temperatures are warming and skies are bright. Autumn is the best time for outdoor activities, and to stroll around and enjoy the city, with summer being far to hot. Fall weather in Hong Kong is also the most predicatble, with sudden changes in the weather unlikely. The average temperature during fall is 24C or 75F. Rainfall is very light with few rainy days, especially towards the end of the year. 20-30mm.

see What to wear in hong kong December

Winter weather in Hong Kong (Mid-December - February) is noticeably cooler than the city’s other seasons, it is nevertheless mild. Snow is unheard of in Hong Kong and frost occurs only one once or twice a year. Crisp, clear days, with little rain, do make winter a viable time to visit Hong Kong. Seemingly, the locals don’t notice that it isn’t really winter outside, and will wrap themselves up like Polar Bears regardless. At this time, Temperatures never plummet to the bone chilling and you can expect 17C or 63 F. Rainfall is reasonably uncommon in winter, averaging 30-40mm

The Mumbai locations targeted for attacks by terrorists in the Indian city included luxury hotels, a busy station, a restaurant, a cinema, a Jewish centre and a hospital.
Here is a look at the main locations in Mumbai (formerly Bombay):

mumbai terorist attact

Sites that were attacked in Mumbai: (left-right ) The Trident Oberoi Hotel; Cafe Lepold; Cama hospital; Taj Mahal Hotel and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus:: The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel has played host to everyone from Maharajas to heads of state and rock stars. The guest list includes the Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Bill Clinton, Sir Mick Jagger and The Beatles. The elaborate building with onyx columns, high alabaster ceilings and crystal chandeliers opened in 1903 and is one of Mumbai’s best-known destinations.

:: The Oberoi hotel is located at the heart of the commercial district, with the Bombay Stock Exchange and the legislative assembly less than a mile away. It overlooks the Arabian Sea. Former guests include Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch. The hotel was voted among the best in the world in the Forbes Traveler 400 list for 2008.

:: The Leopold Cafe opened in 1871 and is a popular place for tourists and foreigners to share stories over food and a beer. Casting agents sometimes hang out in the noisy and smoky cafe looking for foreigners to work as extras on Bollywood films. It is also popular with the city’s art crowd, attracting writers, poets and painters.

:: The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station, is a World Heritage site and the headquarters of the Central Railways of India. It is one of the busiest railway stations in the country, handling thousands of passengers a day. The station was finished in 1888, fusing British and Indian architecture. It boasts a spectacular stone dome, turrets and pointed arches.

:: Nariman House is a five-storey residential building in south Mumbai. It contains the city headquarters of the ultra-orthodox Jewish outreach group Chabad Lubavitch. Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, the group’s main emissary, and his family live in the building with other families. The house is an educational centre, a synagogue and offers drug counselling services. It attracts hundreds of Israeli and Jewish visitors.

:: The Metro cinema is another popular destination for foreigners, showing both English language and Bollywood films. It was built by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and opened in 1938. The art deco building initially showed only MGM films but it was taken over by an Indian business in the 1970s and became a popular venue for star-studded Bollywood premieres. In 2006 it was reinvented as a six-screen multiplex, Metro Adlabs. It maintained its grandeur and was known for its specially designed seats.

:: The Cama hospital in south Mumbai, near the police headquarters, was built in the late 1880s by a wealthy businessman belonging to India’s tiny Parsi community to cater to women and the poor.

Travel Warning : Mumbai Terrorist Attack

Why New York is your  travel destinations in november 2008 ? let’s see what going on New York in November 2008..

travel destinations november 2008 : nyc marathon

reason 1: Why New York for travel destinations in november 2008

New York City Marathon. Some 30,000 hopefuls from around the world participate in the largest U.S. marathon, and more than a million fans cheer them on as they follow a route that passes through all five boroughs and finishes at Central Park. First Sunday in November..

also see my blog holiday travel direction

travel destinations november 2008: Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular

reason 2 : Why New York for travel destinations in november 2008
Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. It’s an over-the top extravaganza that’s lots of fun. Starring the Radio City Rockettes and a cast that includes live animals (just try to picture the camels sauntering into the Sixth Ave. entrance!). And the spectacular Art Deco Radio City itself is a sight worth seeing.

travel destinations november 2008 : Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

reason 3 : Why New York for travel destinations in november 2008

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The procession from Central Park West and 77th Street and down Broadway to Herald Square at 34th Street continues to be a national tradition. Huge hot-air balloons in the forms of Snoopy, Bart Simpson, and other favorites -are the best part of the fun. The night before, you can usually see the big blow-up on Central Park West at 79th Street; call to see if it will be open to the public again this year.

travel destinations november 2008 : Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

reason 4: Why New York for travel destinations in november 2008

Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The ceremony is accompanied by ice-skating, singing, entertainment, and a huge crowd. The tree stays lit 24/7 until after the New Year. Late November or early December.