-Restaurant to remain closed until owner returns-

OSOYOOS TIMES-December 3, 2008-

By Paul EverestrnOsoyoos Times

An Osoyoos resident trapped in Thailand after protesters stormed the Southeast Asian country's main airports last week was still looking to find a way home as of Dec. 1.
Patrick Hugh, owner of the Wildfire Grill restaurant, had travelled to Thailand in early November for a vacation and was supposed to return to Canada on Nov. 27.
But protestors looking to oust the country's prime minister laid siege to government buildings in October and eventually took control of two international airports in the capital Bangkok on Nov. 25.
All commercial flights out of Bangkok have since been suspended.
Oliver resident Sherry Watson, a floor manager at the restaurant, said she has been in contact with Hugh through email.
She said that Hugh, who was staying at the Twin Towers hotel in Bangkok at press time, was at first happy about being delayed as he could spend a few more days at the beach.
Now, however, he has become concerned with being trapped in the country and Watson said Hugh has asked her to help him get home.
He's quite frustrated and a bit worried, she said.
Watson said she has approached local travel agents to find a way to get Hugh out of the country and was told to tell Hugh that if he can get to Saigon in Vietnam, Air Canada will honour his plane ticket to return to Canadarn from there.
In the meantime, the restaurant will remain closed until Hugh's return, Watson said, as he is the head chef.
After closing for renovations in November, the restaurant was supposed to reopen Dec. 2.
Reopening will be delayed until Hugh's return, Watson said, and the continued closure means a number of reservations and Christmas parties have been cancelled.
She said she would put a note on the restaurant's front door on Dec. 2 to advise patrons of the situation.
Hundreds of other Canadians were stranded in Thailand after the protesters stormed the airports, although the Canadian Press had reported on Dec. 1 that many of them were set to return home thanks to deals worked out by the Canadian embassy in Bangkok.
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