Thailand's political crisis may hurt tourism sector

The news is bad & its worst when I'll be flying there in a few days time!! Hope everything can be settled peacefully & that tourism spot will still be safe. It will be torturing not able to shop when you are in Bangkok.

Fifth day of anti-government protests, but with signs that the unrest may be spreading wider. Protesters would not leave until Prime Minster Samak Sundaravej, whom they consider a puppet of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, resigns.

Thailand's ruling six-party coalition agreed Friday to hold an urgent weekend debate to discuss the ongoing crisis caused by thousands of anti-government protesters. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej again insisted he was not going to give in to the protesters' demands.

Up to 25,000 protesters have barricaded themselves in the main government complex in the capital. Outside Bangkok, thousands of protesters forced the closure of three airports in the south. Phuket International Airport was the first to shut its doors after PAD sympathisers invaded the runway. Similar rallies soon prompted officials to close Hat Yai and Krabi airports. The State Railways of Thailand, meanwhile, said 248 drivers and mechanics called in sick on Friday, halting a quarter of all services in the kingdom.

The prime minister has been consistent with his non-violent approach, but as the demonstrations continue to gather momentum, it is unclear how he could quell the protests without force. Both the military and the palace have stayed out of the conflict thus far, but analysts said some kind of intervention may be needed if a peaceful resolution is to be achieved.