Thai Anti-Government Group Wins, Airports Reopen

The anti-government protest group PAD, which had occupied both of Bangkok's airports, has allowed flights to resume after a court banned former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's political party from office. Thaksin's brother-in-law and the current prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, was banned from politics in the same ruling.

The government was elected in reasonably free and fair balloting less than 1 year ago. However, many of Thailand's citizens considered Somchai just a front for Thaksin, who has been convicted of corruption.

The airports' reopening allows trapped tourists to leave Thailand; the long-term effects of the protests on tourism, one of Thailand's biggest industries, remain to be seen.