MANILA - PHILIPPINE President Gloria Arroyo on Sunday ordered the foreign department to account for hundreds of Filipinos stranded in Thailand's capital after protesters overran the international airport.

Arroyo asked Ambassador Rafael Seguis to take all the Filipinos to the northern city of Chiang Mai and pay for their flights from there to Manila, the president's chief aide, Mr Eduardo Ermita said.

Philippine carriers have cancelled flights to and from Bangkok's main international airport Suvarnabhumi, which has been taken over by demonstrators pushing for the resignation of Thai PM Somchai Wongsawat.

More than 1,200 Filipinos were believed to be stranded at the airport as of late last week, although press reports said this did not include those booked on non-Filipino airlines.

Mr Ermita said Mrs Arroyo has released funds to the embassy in Bangkok to 'defray' the cost of the repatriation. -- AFP