Dancers, puppets and Miss Thailand are just some of the ploys being used by Thai authorities to win back the confidence of tourists. The charm offensive comes after a week-long siege by anti-government protesters of Bangkok’s main international hub.

Flights have been leaving the airport, but passengers still face uncertainty as the backlog clears. ‘‘They’re fully operating but the flight to Bali is cancelled, so I have to wait,’‘ said one air traveller.

The travel chaos, which came to an end after the removal of Thailand’s prime minister, saw more than 230,000 passengers stranded.

The shutdown has cost hundreds of millions of euros, but the damage done to the so called ‘Land of Smiles’ tourist industry still remains unknown.

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