While busily working away early this morning a friend shared live streaming in CNN, and I was aghast to learn about the terror attacks in Mumbai and the continuing civil unrest in Bangkok (I would have preferred good news for a break). I knew about the civil unrest in Bangkok yesterday, as a few of my friends had to change their flights for which they were to transit through Bangkok.
I turned on the TV—the Mumbai incident monopolized the news which reported coordinated attacks that swept through India’s financial capital Mumbai, which left 78 dead and scores injured. Gunmen targeted luxury hotels and tourist landmarks, seizing hostages (at the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels) in violence that left the head of Mumbai’s anti-terror operations dead.
Yesterday, thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the airports in Bangkok to protest the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from an economic summit in Peru. The airport was closed, and flights had to be either redirected or rebooked.
This is the first time as far as I know in at least the past 15 years that I have been frequently going in and out of Bangkok that civil unrest has hit the airport. Bangkok airport has always been, like the Singapore airport, very organized and secure.
On the other hand, hotels of choice while in Mumbai are the Taj Mahal and Oberoi—now they are under attack. Any terror attack or threat to security will always terrify not only a traveler but his or her families and friends as well.
These give me the creeps and saddens me so much, though I mentioned in an earlier post (After the Mariott Hotel Blast in Pakistan) that I am doubly convinced that home is the best place to be. Oh well, anything can happen, and I thank God I am still alive!
Related Posts
4 responses so far ↓
Sidney // Nov 27, 2008 at 7:28 am
Indeed…we live in a very dangerous world… but this should not discourage us from traveling!
lady cess // Nov 27, 2008 at 9:31 am
i feel so sad watching the news. i hope this will be over soon.
Mitch // Nov 27, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Naku ang alam ko malapit sa Oberoi ang bahay nila Derrick sa Mumbai.
Tapos yung byahe pa namin next month ang stop over sa Bangkok ahuhuhu!
Sana it’ll be over soon. Wala pa naman kami kasama ni Deye.
Good-bye November, Hello December : The D Spot // Dec 1, 2008 at 3:19 am
[...] has been a month of global influence—Obama winning the US elections, the terror attacks in Mumbai, the civil unrest in Bangkok, Thanksgiving Day, and the showing of the much waited movie, Twilight. Locally—Jocjoc [...]
Leave a Comment