A China Eastern Airbus-300 arrives at the Utapao Airport near Pattaya, about 150 km east of Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Nov. 29, 2008. Chinese aviation authorities were sending 5 planes on Saturday to Thailand to bring home the remaining stranded Chinese tourists after the closure of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Around 1,400 Chinese tourists stranded in Thailand returned to China on Sunday when Chinese aviation authorities sent planes to Thailand to bring them home after Bangkok's international airport closed because of a protest.

    According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 1,000 Chinese are still stuck in Thailand. Four planes will have been sent to Thailand to retrieve them.

    They are expected to return to China Sunday night but it is unknown exactly how many people will be on board.

    Southern Airlines told Xinhua at least one flight, with 374 passengers, should arrive in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

    No more flights from Thailand will arrive in Beijing on Sunday, said an official of Beijing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.

    Around 246 passengers landed in Shanghai at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. This was the first return flight from Thailand. It was delayed for several hours because of the unstable situation at the airport.

    It was one of five flights that had already returned tourists to China.

Stranded Chinese tourists safely return to Shanghai from Thailand

    BEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The first Chinese flight bringing home stranded Chinese tourists after the closure of Thailand's main international airport in Bangkok, arrived at eastern Shanghai before dawn on Sunday.

    Aboard the China Eastern MU Flight 548 were 246 of less than 3,000 Chinese tourists believed being trapped in Thailand. The plane which left the Shanghai Pudong International Airport at noon Saturday, returned to the airport at 2:15 on Sunday. Full story

Thai police chief removed

     BANGKOK, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Police Commissioner-General Pol. Gen. Phatcharawat Wongsuwan was Friday removed as the national police chief and seconded to an inactive post at the PM's Office.

    The government appointed police inspector-general Pol Gen Prateep Tanprasert as caretaker police commissioner-general. Full story
 
Atmosphere tense in Bangkok, but no action taken after emergency decree imposed

    BANGKOK, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The atmosphere on Friday morning was tense in Bangkok, especially at the two airports hijacked by anti-government protesters, after the government declared a state of emergency at the airports.

    In early hours of Friday, two M79 grenades were lodged at the head office of satellite TV station ASTV, the mouthpiece of anti-government movement People's Alliance for Democracy.  Full story

Thai PM declares state of emergency at two Bangkok airports

Anti-government protestors stand guard at a check-point leading towards Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport Nov. 27, 2008. Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat Thursday evening declared state of emergency over two Bangkok airports -- the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and DonMueang Airport, which were paralyzed since besieged by anti-government protesters on Tuesday night.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

BANGKOK, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat Thursday evening declared state of emergency over two Bangkok airports -- the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and DonMueang Airport, which were paralyzed since besieged by anti-government protesters on Tuesday night.

Somchai delivered a national TV speech from northern province Chiang Mai, which started at 9:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) Thursday to announce the emergency decree as the besiege of anti-government protesters have caused great loss to the many industries in the country, including goods export and tourism, which amounts to some 100 billion Thai Baht (2.86 billion U.S. dollars) per day. Full story

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