KEY POINTS:
Thais are bracing themselves for the crisis in Bangkok to descend into a civil war, but tourists are having their photographs taken with anti-government protesters.
Tob Yanysthin, 23, an Auckland graphic artist who is from Thailand, says he is worried about the safety of his parents, who are stranded in Bangkok after their flight to New Zealand on Wednesday was cancelled because of the takeover of the capital's two main airports by demonstrators.
"I should have been at Auckland Airport to pick them up. Instead I am at home worried about what will happen to them," Mr Tob said.
The takeovers of Suvarnabhumi, the main international airport, and the Don Mueang Airport have stranded thousands, forced many others to change their holiday plans and led airlines including Qantas, Singapore, Thai and Jetstar to cancel flights.
Thai police officials said about 3000 protesters gathered outside Don Mueang yesterday.
They swiftly moved into the steel-and-glass terminal and set up makeshift food stalls and tents at the airport.
Late on Tuesday, 3000 tourists were stranded at Suvarnabhumi as anti-government activists massed outside the airport, forcing it to close.
But journalist Marika Hill, one of those stranded, told the Herald that safety of tourists was not an issue as the fighting was between Thai groups and did not target foreigners.
"For tourists, it's business as usual and some are even posing for pictures with the protesters," Hill said.
"With the uncertainty of not knowing how much longer we have to stay in Bangkok, there's more a sense of frustration at not being able to leave than fearing for our safety."
Hill said tourists were flocking to internet cafes to get news, and there were queues at public telephone booths as people scrambled to call their insurance companies and families at home.
The protesters are pushing for the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government, which they accuse of being a corrupt proxy for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006.
Pressure has been building for Thailand's military to intervene, as the political crisis threatened to descend into widespread civil unrest after Mr Somchai, who is Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law, rejected calls to quit.
The violence has spread to cities outside Bangkok, and a man was killed in a clash between pro- and anti-government protesters in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where Mr Somchai landed on Wednesday evening on his return from the Apec leaders summit in Peru.
