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| Stranded Britons 'will get home' | Stranded Britons 'will get home' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of stranded British tourists in Thailand are set to fly home after protesters said they will end their occupation of Bangkok's airports. | Thousands of stranded British tourists in Thailand are set to fly home after protesters said they will end their occupation of Bangkok's airports. |
| Ministers are working with airlines to bring home UK citizens, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said. | Ministers are working with airlines to bring home UK citizens, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said. |
| Major carriers, including Qantas and Emirates, are laying on more flights. Mr Miliband urged all airlines to honour responsibilities to passengers. | Major carriers, including Qantas and Emirates, are laying on more flights. Mr Miliband urged all airlines to honour responsibilities to passengers. |
| The anti-government protests have left up to 30,000 travellers marooned. | The anti-government protests have left up to 30,000 travellers marooned. |
| Passenger flights from the capital's main airport will resume on 4 December. | Passenger flights from the capital's main airport will resume on 4 December. |
| Thai anti-government protesters agreed to end their occupation of the country's two main airports after more than a week of blockades. | Thai anti-government protesters agreed to end their occupation of the country's two main airports after more than a week of blockades. |
| The deal follows a court ruling that forced Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down over election fraud and disbanded his governing party. | The deal follows a court ruling that forced Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down over election fraud and disbanded his governing party. |
| We will be working with all the airlines to ensure that they all fulfil and honour their responsibilities to ticket-holders David MilibandForeign Secretary Britons wait for a way out'I'm a tourist, get me out of here' | We will be working with all the airlines to ensure that they all fulfil and honour their responsibilities to ticket-holders David MilibandForeign Secretary Britons wait for a way out'I'm a tourist, get me out of here' |
| Stranded UK holidaymakers in Thailand have complained of being deserted by British embassy officials while tourists of other nationalities were being flown home. | Stranded UK holidaymakers in Thailand have complained of being deserted by British embassy officials while tourists of other nationalities were being flown home. |
| But Mr Miliband said ministers and consular staff were doing everything they could to get Britons home. | But Mr Miliband said ministers and consular staff were doing everything they could to get Britons home. |
| The government was demanding a "systematic response rather than the symbolic response" because of the high numbers of Britons needing flights back to the UK, he said. | The government was demanding a "systematic response rather than the symbolic response" because of the high numbers of Britons needing flights back to the UK, he said. |
| "At the heart of the answer is obviously to get large numbers of commercial flights - extra commercial flights - to fly British people out of Thailand and to fly them out of Chiang Mai and out of Phuket. | "At the heart of the answer is obviously to get large numbers of commercial flights - extra commercial flights - to fly British people out of Thailand and to fly them out of Chiang Mai and out of Phuket. |
| "There's also a military airport that we hope will be used for this." | "There's also a military airport that we hope will be used for this." |
| 'Concern understandable' | 'Concern understandable' |
| Successful negotiations with airlines, including Gulf Air, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, meant extra flights were being laid on for passengers, he said. | Successful negotiations with airlines, including Gulf Air, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, meant extra flights were being laid on for passengers, he said. |
| A dozen additional international flights were departing from unaffected airports on Tuesday, he said, with more to follow on Wednesday. | A dozen additional international flights were departing from unaffected airports on Tuesday, he said, with more to follow on Wednesday. |
| "This is the way to ensure that the backlog is cleared and we will be working with all the airlines to ensure that they all fulfil and honour their responsibilities to ticket-holders - our concern being British ticket-holders." | "This is the way to ensure that the backlog is cleared and we will be working with all the airlines to ensure that they all fulfil and honour their responsibilities to ticket-holders - our concern being British ticket-holders." |
| I queued to get into the British Embassy ... to register my whereabouts. Since then I've heard nothing from them Steve ThomasBritish traveller | I queued to get into the British Embassy ... to register my whereabouts. Since then I've heard nothing from them Steve ThomasBritish traveller |
| He said he understood the level of concern among stranded travellers, adding that the embassy in Thailand was working "round-the-clock" to help Britons get home. | He said he understood the level of concern among stranded travellers, adding that the embassy in Thailand was working "round-the-clock" to help Britons get home. |
| "The medium-term solution is obviously a resolution of that deeper crisis, but in the short term, the answer is for commercial flights to help get British people out," he said. | "The medium-term solution is obviously a resolution of that deeper crisis, but in the short term, the answer is for commercial flights to help get British people out," he said. |
| However, British tourist, Steve Thomas, told the BBC he felt let down by the UK response. | However, British tourist, Steve Thomas, told the BBC he felt let down by the UK response. |
| "I queued to get into the British Embassy ... to register my whereabouts. Since then I've heard nothing from them. | "I queued to get into the British Embassy ... to register my whereabouts. Since then I've heard nothing from them. |
| "Meanwhile, Australians in our hotel have had visits from the embassy and have also been offered flights I understand." | "Meanwhile, Australians in our hotel have had visits from the embassy and have also been offered flights I understand." |
| 'Reactive approach' | 'Reactive approach' |
| Suzanne Waddell, from Belfast, who has been stranded for four days after a two-week holiday with friends, said it was "frustrating" not to be given any clear information from her carrier, Thai Airways, or British officials. | Suzanne Waddell, from Belfast, who has been stranded for four days after a two-week holiday with friends, said it was "frustrating" not to be given any clear information from her carrier, Thai Airways, or British officials. |
| "That has been the most disappointing thing. I went to visit them [at the embassy] and they were very relaxed and we were told they would not be doing anything unless the situation worsened. Protesters have been fighting for months to bring the government down | "That has been the most disappointing thing. I went to visit them [at the embassy] and they were very relaxed and we were told they would not be doing anything unless the situation worsened. Protesters have been fighting for months to bring the government down |
| "It is a very reactive approach and I really don't understand the reasoning for that." | "It is a very reactive approach and I really don't understand the reasoning for that." |
| Briton Philip Howard also described the difficulties his daughter, Nadine, had trying to leave the Thai resort of Phuket at after a two-week holiday with her boyfriend. | Briton Philip Howard also described the difficulties his daughter, Nadine, had trying to leave the Thai resort of Phuket at after a two-week holiday with her boyfriend. |
| The couple had been forced to pay £1,000 to get a flight to Hong Kong, from where they now hoped to fly back to London, he said. | The couple had been forced to pay £1,000 to get a flight to Hong Kong, from where they now hoped to fly back to London, he said. |
| Describing conditions in Thailand, he added: "Nadine told me of a military airfield where thousands of people were waiting for flights. | Describing conditions in Thailand, he added: "Nadine told me of a military airfield where thousands of people were waiting for flights. |
| "Locals told her not to go there as fights have broken out. Apparently the place is like a refuge camp." | "Locals told her not to go there as fights have broken out. Apparently the place is like a refuge camp." |
| Those wishing to travel to or from Bangkok were urged to monitor travel advice and to stay in contact with their tour operator or airline. | Those wishing to travel to or from Bangkok were urged to monitor travel advice and to stay in contact with their tour operator or airline. |