KEY POINTS:
The number of New Zealanders stuck in the Thai capital Bangkok is growing, with officials now putting the figure at over 200, Prime Minister John Key says.
The Government is working with foreign airlines and the Australian government to get New Zealanders, trapped by the anti-government protests that
have paralysed Bangkok's two main airports, out of the country.
An official estimate last night of the number of New Zealanders stuck in Bangkok was 195, but Mr Key said that number had grown.
"There are at least 200 that are stranded at Bangkok airport as I understand it and there may well be more," he said on Newstalk ZB.
"As each day goes by more holidays and things come to their end so in theory there is a greater backlog."
Mr Key said officials were working to get New Zealanders out and he would have more details on possible solutions this afternoon.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was still warning people to stay away from Thailand as the situation was likely to get worse before it got better.
"There is no real break in the protests that are going on and you never really know where those things are going to end up," Mr Key said on TVNZ's Breakfast programme.
"There are issues there, so unless you really need to go to Thailand I wouldn't go ... Obviously it's a risk we think people shouldn't take."
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully last night told NZPA there was the possibility of using airports beyond the main Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports.
New Zealand officials were also discussing alternative options with other airlines.
"The situation is complicated by the fact that not all (the New Zealanders) are headed home. Some are heading the other way, not all are literally trapped there, and some have made arrangements to go elsewhere."
A group of Australians left from U-Tapao, a Vietnam War-era naval airbase 150km east of Bangkok, for home yesterday.
He said that was an option for ticket holders of Thai Airways or its partner airlines.
One of the other options was to catch a flight out of tourist resort Phuket - 900km by road from Bangkok and involving a 14-hour bus trip.
Subject to approval by Thai authorities, Qantas is planning to put on an A330-300 - which can hold close to 300 passengers - from Phuket to Singapore tonight local time.
But it has said Qantas and British Airways ticket holders will get first priority for seats, followed by other Australian nationals.
Mr McCully said chartering an Air New Zealand plane to fly New Zealanders home was the least practical answer.
"Anything involving a carrier that does not habitually fly from the airport they would leave from has complications," he said.
Mr McCully said he believed New Zealanders were not at risk but without intervention it could take weeks to get home.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Olarn Chaipravat has said it could take a month to clear the backlog.
"The levels of frustration are going to rise and we are keen to do everything we can to assist," Mr McCully said.
- NZPA
