BANGKOK - UP TO 10,000 passengers are stranded in Bangkok on Wednesday after Suvarnabhumi Airport was closed following the storming of the main terminal by anti-government protesters.

Staff have been told to leave the control tower at the airport - Asia's fourth-busiest by passenger traffic - which will remain shut at least until the end of Wednesday, said an air traffic control official.

More than half a dozen airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways cancelled Bangkok flights on Wednesday.

The authorities have warned of flight chaos for thousands of passengers on Wednesday as the People's Alliance for Democracy group will wait at the airport for the return of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, whose resignation they are demanding. Some said the protests and cancellations may hurt the tourism industry.

'The seizure of international airport is the most serious damage from the protest,' said Jumpon Saimala, senior executive vice president of ING Funds Thailand, which has about 220 billion baht (S$9.4 billion) of assets. 'Tourism, which had beenthe only bright sector, will be hit hard as most people will try to avoid coming to Thailand.'

The Thai government called on the military to restore order after protesters threatened to confront Prime Minister Somchai when he flies in from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru. The People's Alliance for Democracy group is demanding Somchai resign to take responsibility for deadly clashes between police and demonstrators last month.

'The security situation in Bangkok necessitates this cancellation,' Singapore Airlines said in a statement on Wednesday announcing cancellation of all flights to and from Bangkok. The airport lacks operational service staff, it said. Budget carrier Tiger Airways also cancelled all flights.

Thai Air, the nation's largest carrier, said it diverted 16 flights to Don Mueang, the city's second international airport, and another three to U-Tapao, a military airport. All flights at Suvarnabhumi airport are 'temporarily suspended,' it said.

Trapped tourists in 'Land of Smiles'
Thousands of stranded passengers, many thirsty, hungry and tired, rued the day they ever came to the self-declared 'Land of Smiles.'

As jubilant demonstrators shared noodles to celebrate storming Suvarnabhumi Airport, British retiree Jean McCartan, who was wrapping up a three-week holiday, said she had had nothing to eat or drink since Tuesday night.

Conditions were deplorable inside the airport, said Ms McCartan, from Argyll in Scotland. All the restaurants and shops in the flagship, two-year-old facility closed their shutters.

Tourists complained that check-in and other staff at had run away as soon as the demonstrators swarmed into the US$3 billion glass and steel gateway.

'Nobody could really tell us what was happening. And I think everybody has been very angry about it,' said Ms McCartan.

Across the vast departure area tourists sat miserably on piles of luggage.

Clumps of holidaymakers stood glumly around the departures screens desperate for upbeat news - but saw only red cancellation signs, blinking hopelessly.

In the arrivals hall, a young woman stood alone, forlornly holding a placard for a passenger who is unlikely to arrive anytime soon.

The airport director said about 3,000 tourists have been stranded at Suvarnabhumi since the blockade started on Tuesday night, and the protesters said that all airlines must now ask them for permission to land.

With the flagship airport now firmly at the centre of an often violent six-month campaign to topple the government, it was a scary experience for travellers who arrived amid the chaos.

'We couldn't see faces but we could hear an awful lot of noise and chanting and banging,' said Marie Pritchard, who was trying to make her way home to Wales.

'There was lots of riot police with shields and batons. It was quite intimidating. I just want to be safe back in bed.'

Travellers who decided to wait out the crisis inside the airport sat behind empty check-in desks, on baggage carousels and lay down on welcome mats in front of the first class desks.

As tourists caught a few hours' sleep inside the terminal, protesters did the same on the tarmac outside.

About 8,000 protesters were occupying areas around the airport, according to police. They lay down on paper mats overnight but as dawn broke, the singing and hand clapping that has accompanied their six-month protest resumed.

A few filtered inside the terminal where they used the toilets and sat and ate food distributed for free by the protest organisers.

The area in front of the terminal became a sea of yellow, the colour associated with the monarchy which PAD claim to defend.

While most tourists were simply bewildered by the situation, some were furious with the authorities, who have tried to avoid confrontation.

Airport police stood around passively and watched as PAD supporters milled around the airport, bellowing into megaphones.

'I think the police should never have allowed this to happen,' said John Russell from Scarborough in England.

'It's been going on for a long time, they should have made sure, it's the government's job and the police's job to make sure that there's not any civil unrest in the country, especially as far as foreigners are concerned.' - AFP, REUTERS

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