Thailand political crisis strands Asheville couple

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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The story, by AtlanticCity.com, is told from a New Jersey point of view, but it’s about an Asheville couple:

A former Cape May County couple will be coming home with thousands of other foreign visitors now that two airports in Thailand have reopened.

Thomas and Carole Repici, formerly of Middle Township, were vacationing with a tour group in Thailand last week when protesters commandeered the capital’s two airports. The protesters forced the cancellation of departing flights, stranding 300,000 travelers.

Protesters promised to lift the siege after Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigned.
The nation’s Constitutional Court dissolved Thailand’s top three ruling parties for electoral fraud and banned Somchai from politics for five years.

The Repicis were scheduled to leave Bangkok at 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time today and travel to China, Japan and California before arriving at their home in Asheville, N.C., on Thursday.
Their granddaughter, Middle Township teacher’s aide Kathryn Hinchey, spoke to them Tuesday morning. The couple had been in limbo for the past week, staying at a Bangkok hotel while waiting out the political crisis.

“They’re happy it’s over. They’re happy to finally be home and get back to a regular routine,” Hinchey said.