Thai protesters shut down airport
Thai protesters shut down airport
Hundreds of protesters have taken over the main departure terminal
Flights from Thailand's international airport have been suspended after hundreds of anti-government protesters stormed the building in Bangkok.
At least 3,000 passengers are said to be stranded at Suvarnabhumi airport, with all access roads blocked off.
The demonstrators say they now control the airport, and demand that airlines seek their direct permission to land.
It is the latest move in a campaign by the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to oust the government.
Hundreds of demonstrators, armed with sticks and baseball bats, stormed through police lines on Tuesday.
Airport director Serirat Prasutanon said operations had been "totally shut down" since early on Wednesday, and that 78 outbound and incoming flights had been affected.
"We are trying to negotiate with them to allow outgoing passengers stranded by the protest to fly," he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
"The incident has damaged Thailand's reputation and its economy beyond repair."
One stranded tourist told the BBC: "I don't know what happened to my flight. They won't talk to us. I'm angry and sad, because I have two small children - they're sick, so we want to go home."
Some British holidaymakers are among those stranded in "no-man's land" at the airport, said a spokesman for the UK Foreign Office.
Having passed through immigration control, they are now stuck without planes to board.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says the protesters may have been hoping to prevent Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from returning from the Apec summit in Peru.
Mr Somchai told reporters in Lima: "Anyone who wants to overthrow or resist the government is attempting a rebellion."
Thinly veiled tactic
It came as demonstrations in central Bangkok turned violent, leaving at least 11 people injured.
Stranded tourists: 'We want to go home'
Thai TPBS television broadcast pictures of the violence on the main road to the capital's old airport. The footage showed shots being fired from a truck into crowds after rocks were thrown.
At least two handguns could be seen and people standing with the gunmen raised up a picture of the revered Thai king, whom the PAD claim to be supporting.
A man was also seized by anti-government supporters and what appeared to be a large knife was held to his throat.
TPBS said its cameraman had been threatened at the scene and that PAD personnel attempted to seize his tape.
On Monday, PAD protesters converged on Bangkok's old Don Muang international airport, from where the cabinet has been operating since its offices were occupied three months ago.
Organisers say the protest is a "final battle" to bring down the government.
Our correspondent says the government appears to have followed a strategy of allowing PAD to attack government buildings while avoiding clashes, in the hope that it will wear the protesters down.
The government has so far resisted calling in the army. Analysts says it is a thinly disguised aim of the PAD to provoke such a move.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/7749399.stm
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