Bangkok airport back in business

Updated: 19:55, Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok should be back to normal in two days following the end of an eight-day blockade.

1 of 2Suvarnabhumi Airport - Extra planes to rescue stranded tourists
Suvarnabhumi Airport - Extra planes to rescue stranded tourists
2 of 2Suvarnabhumi Airport - End of eight-day blockade
Suvarnabhumi Airport - End of eight-day blockade

Carriers are gradually resuming international and domestic flights to and from the area after protestors called off anti-government protests.

Airlines have laid on extra planes to rescue an estimated 350,000 tourists stranded after the protest against the government of Somchai Wongsawat shut down the airport.

Flights had been landing at the U-Tapao naval base southeast of Bangkok, which has been standing in as the main exit point for travellers, some of whom have also been escaping from Chiang Mai in the north.

The airport protest ended following the decision to ban the Thai Prime Minister from politics for five years.

Thailand's Constitutional Court also ruled that Somchai Wongsawat's political party should be dissolved due to allegations of electoral fraud.

Acting Thai Prime Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul has confirmed that parliament will vote for a new Prime Minister next Monday.

Meanwhile, the head of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Surin Pitsuwan, said that there is no short-term solution to the turmoil.

ASEAN has postponed its summit scheduled for 13-17 December in Thailand until March because of the conflict but the meeting could take place before March, and not necessarily in Thailand.

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