Thailand cranks up services for stranded passengers

U-TAPAO, Thailand (Reuters) - A Vietnam war-era military airbase being used as Thailand's main international airport had the air of a chaotic village fair on Monday as thousands of tourists clamored to leave.

The airport has become the country's chief international gateway since anti-government protesters took over Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports last week, paralyzing flight operations and leaving tens of thousands of visitors stranded.

Located about 200 km (150 miles) southeast of the capital, U-Tapao was a front-line base for the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, but in recent times has been used for just a handful of charter flights a day.

On Monday it was more like a mini city, with enterprising Thais setting up food and drink stalls, telephone booths and even an entertainment area where waiting passengers could relax while watching local entertainment.

"It wasn't as bad as I expected," said Briton Simon Wilson, waiting for a Singapore Airlines flight after a business trip to Thailand. "We got here early and now it is just a question of hanging around."

With no end in sight to the airport sit-ins, and officials saying that it could take up to a week to resume services once they end, authorities have cranked up their emergency response.

Thai Airways, which handles the bulk of flights and passengers coming in and out of the country, said it had moved its check-in facilities to the BITEC exhibition center in Bangkok, and would provide transport for passengers from there to U-Tapao.

AROUND THE CLOCK

It said the facility would be open around the clock, but that passengers should check in at least seven hours before their departure.

Officials have said around 300,000 travelers had been directly affected by the airport closures -- with 100,000 stuck in Thailand, around 3,000 Thais stranded abroad and the rest waiting to come to Thailand on vacation during what is now the peak holiday season.

Authorities have been paying for stranded passengers to stay at city hotels while they clear the flight backlogs, but many tourists cannot take advantage because of lack of information.

Linda Edwards from Richmond, Virginia arrived at Suvarnabhumi from Bhutan last week on final leg of a 7-week Asian holiday with her 28-year old son, Nathan.

They were supposed to fly home last Wednesday, but are stuck at the airport hotel, calling hotlines and surfing the Internet at 500 baht a day to get a flight out. The U.S. embassy has also provided little help except to pass on hotline numbers.

"I have no idea how much we have spent on phone calls and Internet," she said, hunched over her laptop.

($1=35.46 Baht)

(Additional reporting by Darren Schuettler; Writing by David Fox; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Sanjeev Miglani)