Bangkok - Thai shares rose 3.09 per cent in value Friday, boosted by a regional rebound that ignored the country's political crisis, analysts said.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index ended at 401.84, up 12.03 points or 3.09 per cent.

"The market was following the region's markets that were pushed up by the return of institutional investors," said Mongkol Phuengphaetha, an analyst at Adkinsons Securities.

"Local investors just followed the trend, ignoring the political scene," said Mongkol. "If we could have removed Thai politics from the picture the SET rebound would have been much better."

Bangkok's two airports have been seized by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), dealing a heavy blow to the kingdom's two leading foreign exchange earners - exports and tourism.

The police have been assigned to clear the airports of the PAD, which is expected to lead to violence, if not a coup. (dpa)