Katherine Atkinson, 24; Karlee Samuels, 24; Eilidh Yorscon, 23; Nicole Mehan, 23, all from London, have been travelling in Asia for three months. They were due to leave Bangkok two days ago Photo: JANE MINGAY
Telegraph.co.uk
By Thomas Bell and Andrew Drummond in Bangkok
Thai officials have warned that even when demonstrators leave Bangkok's airports, they will take at least a week to reopen because computer and security systems have been compromised.
Anti-government protesters have shown no signs of ending their sit-in and yesterday moved to reinforced their numbers.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) withdrew most of their remaining members from Government House, which they have occupied since August, to join the protests at two airports.
Only the group's "security guards" – armed with explosives, hand guns and baseball bats- now remain at the official seat of Thai government.
Yesterday, British tourists claimed other nationalities were receiving more help from their embassies to get home.
Not a single flight is believed to have reached Britain from Thailand in a week since Bangkok airport was hijacked.
But a growing number of planes have reached other destinations such as Frankfurt as the response to the crisis is slowly picking up.
More than 100,000 foreign tourists -including at least 7,000 Britons – are stranded in Bangkok and the number is rising every day as holidays end with no way home.
A thin trickle of travellers have been leaving the country overland or via provincial airports and some governments including of Spain, France and Australia have laid on special flights.
Neil Lindsay, 53, a photographer from Wadebridge in Cornwall, was with 121 other Britons among 1,200 Thai Air passengers moved to a hotel near U-tapao airfield – which is receiving a small number of flights.
"We are stuck here without a hope but all the Germans have got home already, the last went on Saturday," complained Mr Lindsay.
"We just keep getting bumped. It's quite clear that Brits are well down the pecking order when it comes to getting home.
"I have not seen any British consular officials, but the Aussies have been here in force and I know they have been using their influence to get their citizens home.
"I have rung up the (British) Embassy twice, but they just say 'sit tight'. I'm not surprised the Foreign Office will not supply charter flights to get us out, there are too many of us. Why can't they be like other the embassy officials we see here?"
Prime minister Somchai Wongsawat meanwhile is sheltering in the government's northern electoral stronghold of Chiang Mai, reportedly fearful that the army will capture him if he returns to the capital.
Although the army chief General Anupong Paochina has repeatedly ruled out mounting what would be Thailand's 19th coup since 1932 the army is generally sympathetic to the protesters' pro-monarchy agenda.
Thailand's constitutional court – which earlier this year dismissed a prime minister for appearing as a TV chef – is expected to rule as early as today (Tues) in a case that could lead to the dissolution of three parties in the ruling constitution.
Government supporters say such a ruling would be a "judicial coup, a coup by the gowns instead of the tanks". And it may change little, because government MPs have already prepared a new "shell party" to move into in expectation of the verdict.
By Thomas Bell and Andrew Drummond in Bangkok
Thai officials have warned that even when demonstrators leave Bangkok's airports, they will take at least a week to reopen because computer and security systems have been compromised.
Anti-government protesters have shown no signs of ending their sit-in and yesterday moved to reinforced their numbers.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) withdrew most of their remaining members from Government House, which they have occupied since August, to join the protests at two airports.
Only the group's "security guards" – armed with explosives, hand guns and baseball bats- now remain at the official seat of Thai government.
Yesterday, British tourists claimed other nationalities were receiving more help from their embassies to get home.
Not a single flight is believed to have reached Britain from Thailand in a week since Bangkok airport was hijacked.
But a growing number of planes have reached other destinations such as Frankfurt as the response to the crisis is slowly picking up.
More than 100,000 foreign tourists -including at least 7,000 Britons – are stranded in Bangkok and the number is rising every day as holidays end with no way home.
A thin trickle of travellers have been leaving the country overland or via provincial airports and some governments including of Spain, France and Australia have laid on special flights.
Neil Lindsay, 53, a photographer from Wadebridge in Cornwall, was with 121 other Britons among 1,200 Thai Air passengers moved to a hotel near U-tapao airfield – which is receiving a small number of flights.
"We are stuck here without a hope but all the Germans have got home already, the last went on Saturday," complained Mr Lindsay.
"We just keep getting bumped. It's quite clear that Brits are well down the pecking order when it comes to getting home.
"I have not seen any British consular officials, but the Aussies have been here in force and I know they have been using their influence to get their citizens home.
"I have rung up the (British) Embassy twice, but they just say 'sit tight'. I'm not surprised the Foreign Office will not supply charter flights to get us out, there are too many of us. Why can't they be like other the embassy officials we see here?"
Prime minister Somchai Wongsawat meanwhile is sheltering in the government's northern electoral stronghold of Chiang Mai, reportedly fearful that the army will capture him if he returns to the capital.
Although the army chief General Anupong Paochina has repeatedly ruled out mounting what would be Thailand's 19th coup since 1932 the army is generally sympathetic to the protesters' pro-monarchy agenda.
Thailand's constitutional court – which earlier this year dismissed a prime minister for appearing as a TV chef – is expected to rule as early as today (Tues) in a case that could lead to the dissolution of three parties in the ruling constitution.
Government supporters say such a ruling would be a "judicial coup, a coup by the gowns instead of the tanks". And it may change little, because government MPs have already prepared a new "shell party" to move into in expectation of the verdict.
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