Thai authorities shut down second Bangkok airport as crisis deepens

Bangkok: Thai authorities shut down Bangkok's second airport on Thursday after it was overrun by anti-government protesters, completely cutting off the capital from air traffic as the prime minister rejected their demands to resign, deepening the country's crisis.

Thailand's powerful army commander, who has remained neutral in the conflict, stepped into the fray Wednesday, urging Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down.

He also asked thousands of protesters to end their siege of the main international Suvarnabhumi airport. It has been shut since Tuesday night, leaving hundreds of flights canceled and drawing world attention to a turmoil that has reduced Thailand to a dysfunctional nation.

The crisis worsened early on Thursday as authorities shut down the Don Muang domestic airport, which had been receiving some diverted flights from Suvarnabhumi.

Serirat Prasutanont, chief of Thailand Airport Authority, said authorities feared that protesters who stormed the Don Muang terminal building late on Wednesday might harm passengers and aircraft.

He said authorities might consider using the U Ta Pao air force base, 140 kilometres southeast of Bangkok, and were alerting airports nationwide to be ready to receive more diverted flights.

The closure of the two airports left thousands of foreign tourists stranded on Thursday.

Somchai, who returned from Peru on Wednesday was forced to land in the northern city of Chiang Mai, and swore not to budging from his position.

Somchai said in an address to the nation that he came to power through elections and has "a job to protect democracy for the people of Thailand."