Thai protesters leave airport
2008-12-03 08:02
Bangkok - Hundreds of anti-government protesters left Bangkok's main airport Wednesday after a eight-day siege, as authorities assured beleaguered tourists that flights would resume within 24 hours.
Yellow-clad demonstrators packed up their belongings and streamed out of Suvarnabhumi airport in cars, taxis and buses after the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) handed over control to officials.
The exodus came a day after the movement claimed victory in its campaign against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, when a court barred the premier from politics and disbanded the ruling party.
But with the former government vowing to regroup and choose Thailand's third premier in three months in a vote next week, there was little hope of long-term stability for the kingdom returning soon.
"We will come back when the nation needs us," said Somkiat Pongpaibul, a key leader of the royalist PAD, which groups Bangkok's urban elite and middle classes, backed by elements from the military and the palace.
Foreign nations sending emergency flights
The movement's co-founder, Chamlong Srimuang, hugged and shook hands with the chief of the airport authority before bowing down and paying his respects in front of a portrait of Thailand's much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Supporters chanted "Long Live the King!"
More than 350 000 travellers have been left stranded by the chaos, with foreign nations sending emergency flights to evacuate as many as possible through a Thai naval base and from provincial airports.
Airports of Thailand chief Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana said a Thai Airways flight from the tourist town of Phuket would land at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday afternoon, while international flights would resume the next day.
He said the first international departure would be a Thai Airways flight to Rome.
"We will try and get everything back to normal as soon as possible," he told reporters at the airport.
Trademark yellow clothes
Damage from the occupation of the gleaming three-billion-dollar airport since November 25 had not yet been estimated, he said. Suvarnabhumi opened with much fanfare in 2006 and last year handled 41 million passengers.
An AFP correspondent saw hundreds of protesters piling their belongings on private vehicles, cabs and coaches soon after the handover, and by midday only a couple of hundred remained.
"I am looking forward to sleeping in my home, but everybody came here because they love the king," said Neepirom Kunniam, 58, wearing the movement's trademark yellow clothes, which symbolise devotion to the monarchy.
A line of hundreds of protesters snaked through the departures area early on Wednesday as they got autographs from Chamlong and his PAD co-founder Sondhi Limthongkul.
- SAPA