Off to Bangkok!

A group of residents around Suvarnabhumi airport threatened to launch rockets and balloons to disrupt airborne passenger jetliners again next Saturday unless they are paid compensation money for noise pollution.

Wanchart Manathamsombat, a key leader of the 32 noise-affected communities, told the media conference that residents will not invade the airport or attempt to stage any protests. Instead, he said chillingly, they plan to "seize the sky" from their homes.

He refused to elaborate, but his supporters told reporters that residents planned to release balloons, set off fireworks and shoot off homemade Thai rockets similar to the ones used by northeastern farmers.

The threat is not empty.

In an incident widely unreported by the media last month,

residents around the airport released more than 100 balloons in the sky.

Luckily, airport authorities observed the action. They grounded all flights for more than two hours, and diverted incoming airliners away from Suvarnabhumi. There were no lives lost.

I'm landing at Suvarnabhumi airport this Sunday. =.=