The general manager of Suvarnabhumi International Airport said it could take a week to resume operations because security and computer systems had been compromised during the blockade by People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters.

'Normally, checking the IT systems takes one week,' Mr Serirat Prasutanond told Reuters, adding that the delay would be even longer if any of the airport's systems needed repair. 'We have to check, recheck, check, recheck.'

Thousands of yellow-clad PAD protesters have defied police and occupied Suvarnabhumi and the domestic hub Don Muang, for the past week.

Thai Tourism Minister Weerasak Kohsurat said yesterday that about 300,000 travellers were still trapped in the kingdom. The main exodus point so far has been the U-Tapao naval base, 150km from Bangkok. But the Vietnam War-era airport has been unable to handle the heavy load.

'U-Tapao is very crowded now,' Mr Weerasak said. 'We will divert some flights to two airports in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Chiang Mai and Phuket will also help send stranded passengers out.'

Ms Sasithara Pichaichannarong, permanent secretary at the Tourism Ministry, told news agency Agence France-Presse that the ministry would today ask the Cabinet to give them 1 billion baht (S$43 million) to fund repatriation efforts for stranded foreigners, and to bring back the 10,000 Thais stuck abroad.

'We have currently received only a 10 million baht budget for this operation, which is not sufficient,' she said.

The PAD has allowed 88 empty planes to leave Suvarnabhumi after agreeing to a request from the Thai authorities. But no passengers were allowed to leave through Suvarnabhumi, officials said.

Mr Serirat said some aircraft will be flying to protest-free airports elsewhere in Thailand so that stranded passengers and others can fly out of the country.

Anti-government protesters have ignored a police order to end their blockade of Suvarnabhumi, which handles more than 100,000 passengers and outbound cargo worth around US$85 million (S$130 million) each day.

The airport authorities have been facing criticism for their inability to speed up the pace of evacuating the stranded passengers.

'It is a difficult situation for the government and the authorities,' said Mr Chew Choon Seng, chief executive officer of Singapore Airlines. 'In due course, we will offer them some of our comments. At this point in time, we have to leave it to the authorities, in their wisdom, to manage the situation.'

The Thai government has warned that it may take a month to repatriate the stranded passengers. But it will take much longer to rebuild trust.

'Nobody would put their money into a bank surrounded with negative news - the same applies with investments,' said Mr Nandor von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, which represents 10,000 foreign companies. 'Even after resolving the political stand-off, it will take time to rebuild the reputation of Thailand.'

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG, XINHUA

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