Americans today celebrate Thanksgiving, a day for gratitude and gorging on flightless bird cadavers. (I’ll have my share, thank you!) And what should we as masters athletes be thankful for? Well, that we’re not living in countries beset by airport protests, for one. The situation in Thailand is terrible. How bad? This note was sent out today, Asia time: “URGENT …… URGENT ……. URGENT ……. URGENT ……. URGENT …… Announcement: Because of the turmoil at Bangkok international airport, the LOC of the 15th Asia Masters Athletics Championships decided today to postpone the championships to January 13-17, 2009. All terms and conditions of the championships remain the same. We apologize for the trouble caused,” signed by the Local Organizing Committee for the meet originally set to start Monday.

A masters mole in the exotic Orient added this as well:

The last veterans meet on the Asian circuit was also postponed. The Chinese championships were scheduled for May but were postponed to October at the last minute to avoid any large, non-Communist Party gatherings before the Olympics.

Earlier, these were other messages sent to various national governing bodies:

Subject: Chiang Mai 2008: Announcement Nov 26 4:20 pm
> Cc: Chaleosri , “Prasert Srisueb” ,
> Wararat
>
> Dear AMA Affiliates
>
> Please keep track of announcements at our website
>
> http://karl.kunz.googlepages.com/newsamac15
>
>
> The current announcement is enclosed at the bottom of this message.
>
> Prior to this announcement, around 15:30 today Nov 26, Mr Viwat, OC chairman, talked to me by phone and said that he wished to communicate to all our masters athletics teams the following points :
>
> 1. It appears that the international airport is closed right now (Wed Nov 26 15:30)
> 2. The airport closure appears to be political pressure on the Prime Minister who will fly into Thailand this evening. We will monitor the events to see what happens this evening and possibly the situation will then change at that point.
> 3. We expect some clarity to emerge tomorrow morning before noon. By late afternoon, if the situation has not been resolved, the Organizing Committee will consider all factors and make a formal announcement as to whether the AMA Championships in Chiang Mai, Dec 1-5, will be postponed or not. Right now, there is no change in any of our plans.
>
>
> Regards
>
> Karl Kunz
> www.sat.or.th/amagames/
> CELEBRATING ASIA’S LIFELONG SPORTING SPIRIT
>
> ———————
>
> November 26, 2008, 4:20 pm
>
> Announcement
>
> Organizing Committee, 15th Asia Masters Athletics Championships,
>
> 1-5 December 2008 Chiang Mai
>
> Subject: Impact on Athletics Teams’ Travel Plans
>
> As we all aware, the political situation impacting Suwannaphumi airport in Bangkok is effecting the travel plans of athletes from many countries.
>
> The TVAA and AMAC OC understand well the concern and worry of the various athletics teams whose travel plans may be disrupted. Nonetheless the TVAA and AMAC OC believe that the situation will not escalate into more violence and in fact can be quickly resolved. The TVAA and AMAC OC will closely monitor the situation and will coordinate and communicate with the various national athletics teams on a regular basis. The TVAA and AMA OC are confident, as hosts, that Thailand is ready and able to stage the 15th Asia Masters Athletics Championships on schedule. If there are any changes, however, there will be announcements to that effect forthcoming.
>
> This announcement is for your general information and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience at this time.
>
> The Thai Veterans Athletics Association (TVAA)
>
> The 15th Asia Masters Athletics Championships Organizing Committee (AMAC OC)

Bummer, man.