02 September 2008

More misery tipped for Thai travellers

More frustration is expected for travellers to Thailand as a state of emergency was called in Bangkok.

The measure was imposed after clashes left at least one person dead, the BBC reported.

Despite the re-opening of the airport at Phuket Ã¢â¬' where thousands of holidaymakers were delayed because of anti-government demonstrations at the weekend - the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has threatened to close seven airports if Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej refuses to resign.

Local reports suggested that shutting airports was one of the measures PAD planned to adopt.

The airports in PAD's sights are Hat Yai, Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Samui, Nakhon Sri Thammarat and Trang.

They also plan to block all roads leading to the south of the country.

Phuket International Airport resumed services on Sunday. Two other southern Thai international airports, in Krabi and Hat Yai, reopened Saturday.

Methee Thanmanatrakul, chairman of Thai Hotels Association in the south, said the protest had caused losses and tarnished the country's image as about 15,000 tourists use Phuket's airport each day.

Qantas budget offshoot Jetstar is facing a hotel bill of about A$100,000 for accommodating stranded passengers in Phuket before they were flown back to Sydney on a chartered aircraft on Monday.

Meanwhile, railway services in Thailand's northern region have been paralysed after all northern line train services in Chiang Mai were suspended on Sunday following protests from rail workers.