INQUIRER Global Nation

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 6) The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday asked Filipinos flying to Thailand to postpone " non-essential travel" to that country "until further notice" given the unrest there.

In a text message, DFA spokesman Claro Cristobal advised Filipino travelers requiring assistance or further information to contact the Philippine embassy in Bangkok at +662 2590139 to 40.

A Filipino journalist in Thailand said an undetermined number of Filipinos could be stranded in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport after it was shut down late Monday.

In an exchange of messages, Roby Alampay said: "I'm sure many were stranded. There are at least two late night flights [Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines] every night, I think. So when they closed outbound yesterday, I'm sure many Filipinos were hit. I know I have friends who are stranded in Manila coming to Bangkok."

Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution, said their 12:20 a.m. Bangkok-Manila flight Wednesday returned without any booked passengers.

She said none of the passengers on the flight was able to make it to the airport.

Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Antonio Rodriguez, in a long-distance interview, said the Cebu Pacific flight left without any passengers because by the time it was supposed to depart, the protesters were already in control of the airport.

The airline said 122 passengers were booked on the Cebu Pacific flight. They can rebook their flights when these become available. However, the airline did not say how many of the passengers are Filipino.

Iyog also said Cebu Pacific has cancelled its 9:10 p.m. Manila-Bangkok flight Wednesday and its 1:30 p.m. Clark-Bangkok flight Thursday.

Cebu Pacific flies daily in and out of Bangkok from Manila, and three times a week to and from Clark; the flight out of Bangkok is at 4:20 p.m.

PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said only four passengers on their outbound flight from Thailand last night were not able to board the plane.

"I cannot say that they were stranded because they did not show up and we had to fly out without them," he said.

Rodriguez also said eight overseas Filipino workers bound for Lebanon and United Arab Emirates had availed of airline offers to stay at a hotel overnight in Bangkok.

He said he has sent a Philippine embassy official and a staff member to the airport to monitor the situation and to look for any stranded Filipinos who may be there.

Rodriguez described the mood at the airport as “festive.”

Vice President Noli de Castro, presidential adviser on OFWs, said the government is closely monitoring the events and the situation of OFWs in Thailand.

"Our government is prepared for any eventuality. We advise our Filipino workers in Thailand to avoid those conflict-stricken areas and not to get involved in Thailand's current political strife. We want to ensure the safety of our Filipino workers caught in the crossfire," De Castro said in a statement.

De Castro said the DFA, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and other agencies have been coordinating with the embassy in Thailand on the contingency plans and actions to take.

Estabillo said the two PAL flights out of Manila to Bangkok (10:30 a.m. and 7:05 p.m.) and the two PAL flights out of Bangkok to Manila (2 p.m. and 11:20 p.m.) have been cancelled. Asked when they would resume their schedules, he said, "It depends on the situation. We'll see if it improves."

Rene Soliman, PAL corporate communications manager, said 604 Bangkok-bound passengers were affected by the cancellations. He said the cancelled PAL flights were fully booked, with each flight carrying 302 passengers.

However, Iyog said Cebu Pacific is "taking it one day at a time" and would resume or cancel its flights depending on the situation in Thailand.

The Manila International Airport Authority, in an advisory issued Wednesday afternoon, said all flights to Bangkok out of Manila have been cancelled.

Aside from the Cebu Pacific and PAL flights, the other cancelled flights are Thai Airways flights TG 621 (1420H), TG 620 (1425H) and TG 624 (2020H).

Alampay said the situation in the airport reflects the ongoing power struggle in Thailand.

"When the military refused to follow orders to clear the government house of protesters last month, many observers saw that as in fact already the manifestation of a coup. The military won't admit to a coup, and the prime minister has refused to resign, but ultimately Thailand came out of that with a lame duck government. What do you call a government without an army? The current situation in the airport reflects this same reality. The military let this happen," he said.

"On the other hand, it's also true the lame duck government let this happen. All these actions are unpopular and many Thais -- even those against Thaksin and his proxies -- are growing uncomfortable with these tactics," he added.

Rodriguez also said the situation in Thailand might develop into a “protracted struggle.”

Asked about Thailand's hosting of the ASEAN Summit this December, Cristobal said: "We'll await advice from the host."

Asked the same question, Rodriguez said, "We'll cross the bridge when we get there." However, he added that, from the latest statement of the Thai foreign minister, the summit will be held although the venue may be moved to an area outside the influence of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy.