More Thai protesters occupy airports

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 12-02-2008 09:51

Anti-government protesters in Thailand have ended the three-month demonstration at the Government House but have reinforced their occupation of Bangkok's two airports.

People's Alliance for Democracy protesters shout slogans and dances during a rally at the besieged Suvarnabhumi  international airport in Bangkok on Dec. 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The move extends the political paralysis that has stranded 300 thousand travellers.

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy told its members to leave the Government House and join compatriots at the two airports, which they seized last week.

The numbers of protestors at the airports has swelled to about 6-thousand.

Protest leaders say they are moving out because grenade attacks are making it unsafe to stay in the Government House.

The airport closure has severed all commercial flights in and out of the capital. Tourism officials say over 300-thousand travellers are stranded in Thailand, and the number is increasing every day.

The crisis is draining millions of dollars from the country's economy and the protestors have vowed to stay until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat steps down.

Somchai has refused to resign, but he's also refused to send in police for fear of bloodshed.

But the airports may prove as unsafe for protestors as the Government House. On Monday night, an explosive device went off outside Don Muang domestic airport, wounding dozens of people. It's the third such attack in two days.

With no end to the deadlock in sight, many Thais are hoping a court ruling can resolve the crisis.

A Constitutional Court is set to decide whether Somchai and others in his party committed electoral fraud, a move will decide the fate of the prime minister and his party.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei