Thai protesters allow some flights

BANGKOK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Anti-government protesters let 37 empty planes fly out of Bangkok's main airport Monday, bound for other airports to pick up passengers stranded in Thailand.

The People's Alliance for Democracy-led protesters, who have been occupying the Suvarnabhumi international airport, allowed Thai Airways jetliners and those of other airlines to travel to other airports to pick up the stranded passengers, the Thai News Agency reported. A total of 88 aircraft had been stuck at Bangkok's main airport, The Daily Telegraph reported.

CNN, quoting an airport authority spokesman, reported 37 planes had departed on this mission to help about 100,000 passengers reach their homes.

Many headed for provincial airports, intending to catch regional flights. Others took buses and trains to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore.

"This is my first time in Thailand and I probably won't come back," said Glen Squires, 47, one of the stranded travelers. "What they've done is shot themselves in the foot."

The protesters occupied both Suvarnabhumi and the domestic Don Muang airport last week to press their demand for the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, which they see as a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a military coup in 2006. The protesters also have occupied Bangkok's federal government complex for the past three months.

On Sunday, a blast from a grenade suspected of being tossed by counter-demonstrators reportedly injured about 50 protesters on the government compound.