Thai airports reopening as siege ends

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 week-long shutdown.

Outside the main departure terminal at Suvarnabhumi international airport yesterday, 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 Authority of Thailand, said an initial inspection of the airport found no damage to the facility. He said workers were still checking the computer, communication and security systems but expected everything would be operational in a few days.