Thai PM declares emergency at Bangkok airports

 In a televised address to the nation, Somchai said police and some military units would try to end the blockades by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) at the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports which he said was causing massive damage to the economy.

 

Thailand’s government asked the military to stay in their barracks as rumors spread that the army was plotting a coup to end mass protests that have shut down both of Bangkok’s airports.

 

Somchai held an urgent cabinet meeting Thursday in northern Chiang Mai city.

 

The PAD refused to end their protests, which have forced flight cancellations and stranded thousands of travellers.

 

The army denied there was any attempt to topple Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat after months of anti-government protests, but admitted that tanks had moved through an area of the capital near parliament as part of a display for cadets.

 

The army has staged 18 coups in Thailand’s history, the most recent in 2006 when it toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Somchai’s brother-in-law.

 

Supporters of the anti-government PAD earlier blockaded Bangkok’s old Don Mueang airport in an attempt to prevent ministers from flying to Chiang Mai, a Thaksin stronghold.

 

But cabinet members slipped out of the city in small aircraft.

 

Demonstrators stormed the main Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Tuesday night and have set up a protest camp there, effectively cutting Bangkok off from the rest of the world.

 

Thai aviation authorities later gave airlines the green light to use the U-Tapao naval base instead, saying that several flights had already landed there including a Thai Airways flight from Los Angeles.

 

The PAD launched their campaign to topple the democratically-elected government six months ago, accusing it of being a puppet of Thaksin, who remains in exile to avoid a jail term imposed for a corruption conviction.

 

The group has the backing of elements in the palace, military and Bangkok’s old elite that want to purge society of the influence of Thaksin, who is adored by the rural poor.

 

As both sides refused to back down, concerns deepened for the kingdoms economy, vital tourism industry and diplomatic ties.

 

The PAD has vowed to stay at three protest sites -- Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Somchai’s Government House offices in central Bangkok, which they seized in August -- until the premier quits.

 

At Suvarnabhumi, thousands of PAD supporters clad in their signature yellow clothes -- symbolizing support for the revered king -- massed outside while others set up camp in the state-of-the-art airport.

 

Most of the 3,000 stranded passengers were bussed to hotels on Wednesday, and thousands of tourists are now trying to escape Thailand.

 

Outbursts of violence between rival groups -- one PAD supporter was killed on Wednesday while another brief gun battle broke out early Thursday -- have raised fears of escalating unrest.

 

Photo: AFP