Manila - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Sunday ordered the foreign affairs department to repatriate nearly 200 Filipinos stranded in Thailand after two airports in Bangkok were shut down by political protestors last week. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Arroyo ordered the release of 15,000 dollars for assistance to at least 174 Filipinos unable to return home after the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok were blockaded.
Ermita said Foreign Undersecretary Rafael Seguis would thresh out the details of the return of the Filipinos, who would first be taken to Thailand's northern city of Chang Mai, to be flown back to Manila.
Thousands of anti-government protestors stormed Bangkok's airports last week to block the return of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsowat from a summit in Peru, and hope to force the government to resign.
Somchai put both airports under emergency decree Thursday and ordered police to clear out the demonstrators, but authorities have failed to act, fearful that an assault would lead to bloodshed.
