BANGKOK, Thailand -- Hundreds of Thai army troops looked for bombs and weapons as cleaning crews buffed and mopped the floors, part of an around-the-clock effort to reopen Thailand's international airport after a weeklong shutdown.
Outside the main departure terminal at Suvarnabhumi international airport Wednesday, the last anti-government protesters packed up their sleeping mats, took down their tents in front of the ticket counters and abandoned the noodle stands.
Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, the chairman of the Airports of Thailand, said an initial inspection of the airport found no damage to the sprawling facility. He said airport workers were still checking the computer, communication and security systems but expected everything would be operational in the next few days.
Tourists wait at Bitec Exhibition Center, a temporary building for them to check-in, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away from Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. Although the People's Alliance for Democracy has vacated Bangkok's airports, some 300,000 tourist remain stranded in Thailand.
Last group of anti-government protesters celebrate their victory before leaving their protesting ground at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Thailand Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok's two airports Wednesday while the ousted government's leaders met to decide on a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.
Anti-government protesters collect helmets, sticks and other weapons as they dismantle a checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi airport Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands of anti-government protesters who occupied and shut down Bangkok's main international airport for a week began leaving today as their leaders declared victory after a court verdict disbanding the ruling party.
Anti-government protesters dismantle a checkpoint made from baggage trolleys at Suvarnabhumi airport Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008 in Bangkok Thailand. Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok's two airports Wednesday while the ousted government's leaders met to decide on a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.
Passengers from a Thai Airways flight come out from the plane after arriving at Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok's two airports Wednesday while leaders of the ousted government named a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.
An anti-government protester serves coffee to others as they prepare to leave Suvarnabhumi airport Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands of anti-government protesters who occupied and shut down Bangkok's main international airport for a week began leaving today as their leaders declared victory after a court verdict disbanding the ruling party.
Protest leader Chamlong Srimuang and airport officials warmly shook hands and Chamlong bowed toward a Buddhist shrine featuring a portrait of the country's revered constitutional monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The two sides embraced and shouted, "Long Live the King."
It was an anticlimactic and surreal end to the crisis that started Nov. 25 when protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy stormed Survarnabhumi and later the domestic Don Muang airport in a bid to oust the government. Concerned authorities shut down both facilities, stranding more than 300,000 travelers.
The crisis peaked Tuesday with the Constitutional Court finding Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's People's Power Party and two other political parties guilty of fraud in the December 2007 elections that brought the coalition to power. The alliance declared victory, saying its objective had been achieved.
Immediately, authorities moved in. About 700 soldiers inspected the airport for weapons or bombs. None were found. Guards set up a security perimeter throughout the airport and some could be seen standing outside cafes, bookshops and a pharmacy.
"We are trying to bring the airport back to normal conditions soon as possible," Vudhibhandhu said.
The airport building is not fully functional and authorities have not disclosed a timeline for when full-time operations are expected. But the runways and the control tower were being used for flights to land and take off.
The first commercial airliner - a flight by the national airline Thai Airways from the resort island of Phuket - landed at Suvarnabhumi just after 2 p.m. (0700 GMT) and the first departing flight bound for Sydney was due to leave at 5:25 p.m. (1025 GMT).
Others were expected to follow, including at least three international flights just after midnight on Dec. 5 to mark the king's 81st birthday.
In normal times, Suvarnabhumi, which opened in 2006, serves about 100 airlines with flights to 184 cities in 68 countries.
For now, passengers were arriving and departing through a Thai Airways facility located about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) from the main building. Departing passengers were being checked in at an exhibition center in Bangkok - five hours before their flight - and then bused to the airport.
Thai Airways said Don Muang airport will resume full operations Thursday at 6 a.m. (2300 GMT Wednesday), with as many as 30 domestic flights departing each day.
The atmosphere at the Suvarnabhumi airport - for days a mix of tension and exuberance - had the feeling of a harried grand opening.
Teams of cleaning crews collected trash and removed dirty footprints from the tiled hallways. Fresh orchids and plants were put on display and the arrival and departure boards flickered back to life.
A steady stream of buses, pickup trucks and taxis filled with screaming, flag-waving protesters snaked their way out of the airport past abandoned checkpoints. The roads, though, were still littered with luggage carts, boxes of bottled water and piles of tires that once served as barricades.
While Vudhibhandhu expressed confidence that Suvarnabhumi airport would soon be back to normal, others were not so sure.
"We're uncertain as to when operations at Suvarnabhumi will be back to full capacity. It may be a slow ramp up or a very fast one," U.S. Embassy Spokesman Michael Turner said, adding the embassy was exploring chartering flights for the 3,000 to 5,000 stranded Americans. Passengers would have to pay $550 each.
Even if the airport opens quickly, the long-term damage to the facility's reputation and Thailand's tourism economy may be harder to repair.
Already, industry losses over the remainder of the year are projected to reach about 150 billion baht ($4.2 billion), with 2 million or more travelers likely canceling their plans.
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