Thailand

Thai protestors decide to leave Government House, stay at airports

Thailand MapBangkok - Anti-government protestors decided Monday to end their three-month occupation of the prime minister's office, but remained in place at Bangkok's two airports which they have shut down for almost a week.

People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlomg Srimuang urged supporters still at Government House to move out and join others at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport.

The PAD occupied Government House since August 26, depriving the prime minister and cabinet of their offices.

Hong Kong government arranges emergency flights from Bangkok

Hong Kong - The Hong Kong government was arranging emergency flights Monday to repatriate hundreds of its citizens stranded in Thailand by protestors who closed Bangkok's two main airports.

A senior government official said three planes would be chartered to a provincial military base near Bangkok because of concerns that the security situation in the Thai capital might deteriorate in the coming days.

Around 800 Hong Kong people have been stranded in Thailand since the airports were occupied by anti-government protesters last week.

Hong Kong's secretary for security Chang King-yiu said the government reversed an earlier decision not to arrange evacuation flights because of fears over possible violence in the coming days.

Thai protesters allow some flights

Thai protesters allow some flightsBANGKOK, Dec. 1  -- Anti-government protesters Monday let several planes fly out of Bangkok's international airport with thousands of passengers who had been stranded in Thailand.

The People's Alliance for Democracy-led protesters, who have been occupying the Suvarnabhumi international airport, allowed Thai Airways jetliners and those of other airlines to pick up the stranded passengers, the Thai News Agency reported.

CNN, quoting an airport authority spokesman, reported more than three dozen planes were on this mission to help about 100,000 passengers reach their homes.

Vietnam Airlines to retrieve passengers stranded in Bangkok

Vietnam Airlines to retrieve passengers stranded in Bangkok Hanoi  - Vietnam Airlines will send a "rescue flight" Tuesday for passengers stranded in Thailand by protests that have shut down Bangkok's airports, but is having difficulty gaining landing permission for more flights, a company official said Monday.

"We will continue to help stranded passengers come home as soon as possible by arranging flights from Vietnam to U-Tapao airport," said Vietnam Airlines Bangkok representative Ngo Duc Thang.

Government opens escape routes for tourists stranded in Bangkok

Government opens escape routes for tourists stranded in BangkokBangkok  - The Thai government pledged Monday to speed up emergency flights from provincial airports for an estimated 240,000 foreign tourists stranded in Bangkok by the closure of the capital's two airports by political protestors.

"I believe we can send all the passengers home within seven to 10 days," Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kohsurat said.

Thailand mulls postponing ASEAN summit due to political turmoil

Thailand mulls postponing ASEAN summit due to political turmoil Bangkok  - Thailand, reeling from its worst political crisis in decades, is expected to postpone hosting the 14th summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) scheduled for mid-December, officials said Sunday.

"The prime minister and foreign minister will decide at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday whether to postpone the summit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said.

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