Thai police in talks to end airport siege

THAI police began negotiating with protesters occupying Bangkok's two airports today in an bid to avoid a potentially bloody confrontation.

The government backed off from its threat to forcibly remove the demonstrators from People's Alliance for Democracy, which has been campaigning to oust the government.

Police have been instructed to get the protesters out "as soon as possible" in a "peaceful manner" after thousands of tourists were left stranded.

The chief police negotiator Suchart Muenkaew said: "We will keep talking, if it fails we will take other steps. The last step will be to disperse them."

Prime minister Somchai Wongsawat declared a state of emergency, authorising police to take back the terminals.

The main international Suvarnabhumi airport was occupied on Tuesday and Don Muang airport on Wednesday, leaving the capital cut off to all air traffic.

The government's unwillingness to deploy security forces has raised doubts about whether Mr Somchai has the support of police and the army.