Second night for Bangkok castaways

Thailand enters another night of tension, after Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat spoke to the nation, affirming his government’s legitimacy. He’s also warned anti-government protestors to stop breaking the law.

Earlier the army ordered them to stop occupying Bangkok international airport.
This was their response.

A day of political uproar has also seen the army ordering the prime minister to dissolve parliament and hold a snap election, which he has refused to do.

The new airport has become a glass cage for hundreds of tourists, who face a second night there as the country outside is in political uproar. The capital is now cut off from all air traffic, the control tower has been broken into, and all access roads are closed.

The passengers are like hostages at the heart of a power struggle;

“The airport’s fine, and we’re treated well. We don’t have any problems even if the only people affected here are tourists, but we understand the protest they’re holding here.”
Some are considerably less tolerant of the delay.

“I want to go home. I want to go. I was supposed to be in Sydney in a couple of hours and I want to go back there. Now maybe I have to stay here for one or two nights, we don’t know. So, I don’t really understand what’s going on with the politics, but I don’t want to know, but all I know is, I think it’s bad for them.”

The government says it will debate “measures” to take against airport protestors tomorrow. Speculation about an imminent coup rose, despite the army’s promise not to take power.

Government supporters threaten direct action against the opposition, so although quieter for now, the threat of more violence remains.

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tags: Thailand