THAI AIRPORT RUSHES TO OPEN WEDNESDAY

By D.Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Dec 3 (Bernama)-- Thai airport authorities are rushing to reopen
the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, with limited flights arriving from 2pm
Wednesday and full operation expected by Friday.

Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, chairman of Airports of Thailand (AOT), said the
first flight would arrive at 2pm from Phuket.

"We are doing our best to reopen the airport as soon as possible. Our
officials are checking every aspect of the airport now," he told reporters at
the airport after the "official handing over" ceremony of the airport which was
seized by anti-government protesters on Nov 24.

He said that if everything goes according to plan, the first outbound
flight
from the US$3.5 billion airport would be a Thai International Airways flight
taking off at 12.05am on Dec 5 to Rome.

Earlier, People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlong Srimuang
handed over the airport to Vudhibhandhu as hundreds of supporters began packing
their belongings and dispersed from the airport which they seized on Nov
24.

At 10am Wednesday PAD also ended its three month-long siege of the
Government House and also the Don Muang Airport which they took over last week.

The anti-government group disbanded its six-month street protests in the
capital after the Constitution Court Tuesday dissolved the ruling People Power
Party (PPP) and its coalition partners, the Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya,
for election fraud.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat also lost his job after the court banned
the three party executives for five years.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport was closed at 9pm on Nov 24 after protesters
seeking Somchai's ouster stormed the airport. In the past one week, over 300,000
foreigners were stranded throughout the country as the small Utapao Airport at a
naval base near Pattaya could not accommodate a large number of flights.

PAD guards removed all blockades at the airport Wednesday while supporters
queued to get Chamlong's signature on their yellow T-shirts and yellow clothes
which had become synonymous with the movement.

Security personnel, including soldiers and dog units, were also mobilised
at
the passenger terminal to check the airport.

AOT officials, Thai Airways and cleaning staff also began the difficult task
of getting the airport back to its original condition as protesters had thrown
rubbish and remove baggage trolleys, but there were no signs of damage to
check-in and other facilities.

But AOT officials told reporters that while efforts were being taken to
restore all flights as soon as possible, it could take at least one week to get
the airport fully operational, while the cargo operation had resumed Tuesday.

-- BERNAMA