The Thai authorities yesterday evacuated over 3,000 passengers who had been stranded overnight at Bangkok international airport, after antigovernment protesters stormed the building.

Hundreds of weary travellers were herded out of Suvarnabhumi airport's arrivals area onto buses provided by the facility's operator. They were bound for the city and accommodation had been arranged by Thai Airways.

As they trickled out, many of the 8,000 yellow-clad demonstrators, who had been rallying outside the terminal, entered the building, setting up makeshift food stalls and floor mats.

The passengers had been trapped since Tuesday night, when demonstrators swarmed the two-year-old, US$3-billion (S$4.5-billion) building to press their campaign against the government.

With 402 flights cancelled, many passengers ended up spending the night sleeping on baggage carousels and at check-in desks.

After the protesters agreed to have the passengers moved, the evacuation appeared chaotic, with the authorities making no announcements and people in the departures area either unaware about the move, or finding out about it through word of mouth.

Hundreds of people with heavy luggage gathered to wait for the buses, which arrived one at a time.

"It was very unclear. Thai Airways staff said, 'We need to vacate the airport, go get your bags and get out,'" said Ms Andrea Neil from Sydney.

Still, by late afternoon, the passengers had mostly left. But grenade attacks elsewhere in the city deepened the sense of anarchy.

Protest organisers for the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had launched its campaign in May, accusing Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government of being a proxy for deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The PAD is a loose coalition comprising royalists, Bangkok's old elite and the middle class.

Top picture: Anti-government protestors invaded Suvarnabhumi international airport in
Bangkok on Tuesday.