HK govt to set 2 more flights for stranded travelers

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-02 09:17

HONG KONG -- The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on Tuesday to secure two chartered flights to Thailand in a bid to fly all stranded Hong Kong residents out of Thailand and back home in the next two days.

The Security Bureau of Hong Kong government said it is working to secure two chartered flights to Pattaya in a bid to fly all stranded Hong Kong residents out of Thailand in the next two days. Two other special flights operated by Cathay Pacific and Orient Thai will arrive in Hong Kong Monday carrying 580 passengers.

The chartered flights, to be operated by Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express Airways, will have a total capacity of 500 plus passengers. Permission to land is being arranged through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy. Tickets will be 1,100 HK dollars per seat.

Permanent Secretary for Security KY Chang said the Hong Kong government's decision to charter flights was based on the latest assessment on the situation in Bangkok.

"The political situation in Thailand has remained unstable and there are indications violence may aggravate in the coming few days," she said.

"We are anxious to get all Hong Kong residents home as soon as possible. We are particularly concerned about individual travelers who may not have help from travel agents. Therefore we are arranging to fly in more Immigration Department officers to help them."

She also encouraged stranded Hong Kong residents who have problems securing flight seats to remain in Bangkok and keep close contact with Hong Kong immigration officers there.

"Our target is to use all possible ways today and tomorrow to bring all Hong Kong residents home," she said.

Donald Tsang, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, expressed his condolences to the death of a Hong Kong resident involved in a traffic accident in Thailand early Monday morning, and promised the government will make arrangements to bring stranded Hong Kong residents home as soon as possible.

A Hong Kong man died and his wife were injured in a traffic accident early Monday morning while they were traveling from Bangkok to Phuket. The couple were among four other passengers on their way to Phuket in a vehicle arranged by an airline.

The Immigration Department has already sent two officers to Phuket, Thailand, on Monday afternoon to offer assistance to the victim's family. Tsang asked the officers to convey his deepest sympathy to the family.