(Update) Bangkok airport closed after protesters storm terminal: officials
Agence France-Presse | 11/25/2008 10:54 PM
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BANGKOK - Bangkok's main international airport halted all flight operations on Tuesday after anti-government protesters stormed the departures area, Thai authorities said.
Officials said Suvarnabhumi airport, a key transport hub for millions of travellers in Asia which opened in 2006, could not reopen until demonstrators had left the building.
"I decided to shut down services after the protesters broke the door on the fourth floor of the terminal and stormed into the departure lounge. I had no alternative," airport director Saereerat Prasutanont told government-run NBT television.
"Departure flights cannot operate. I have announced the stoppage of services since 9:00 pm (1400 GMT)," added Saereerat, who is also the acting president of Airports of Thailand.
Asked about arrivals, he replied: "It depends on the control tower. Protesters are at the departure lounge, they are not in the arrival lounge."
However a spokesman for AOT said that all flights had been cancelled.
"Airports of Thailand (AOT) decided to shut down Suvarnabhumi after protesters stormed the terminal. We have already informed the airlines who operate from it," an AOT spokesman told AFP.
"Flights in the air will be diverted to either Chiang Mai, Phuket or other airports, but it closed as of 9:00 pm," the official said, referring to cities in northern and southern Thailand.
At least 2,000 protesters earlier surrounded the airport as part of their six-month campaign to oust the government, which they say is a puppet of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Police Colonel Theeradej Chanurak, a senior police official responsible for the airport, confirmed that protesters had entered the terminal.
"Some of the protesters have entered the terminal buildings. They walked towards it while police tried to stop them but could not do anything as police have received orders not to use any force," Theeradej said.
Airport director Saereerat said the owner of Suvarnabhumi had asked the Thai army chief for assistance because police could not help "but so far there is no response from the army."
"The airport will resume when the protesters retreat but I have no idea when that will be," he added.
