KEY POINTS:
The Government will decide within 48 hours whether it needs to send a military transport aircraft to Thailand to rescue up to 300 stranded New Zealanders, Prime Minister John Key said today.
The C130 Hercules leaves tonight for Singapore or Malaysia where it will be within a few
hours flying time of Thailand's U-Tapao military airbase, about 150km east of Bangkok.
If the call is made to use it, New Zealanders will get to U-Tapao from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International airport on commercial carriers and taken out by the Hercules.
The international airport has been closed since it was occupied by anti-government protesters last Tuesday.
Domestic commercial flights are being allowed in and out of Bangkok but they are not permitted to fly to other countries.
"This is a contingency," Mr Key said at a press conference.
"We'll make the call in 48 hours. But if there's a large number who want to leave, and the stand-off continues between the warring factions, then our view is we would like to deploy and get New Zealanders out."
Mr Key said options including commercial charter flights had been considered but carriers were not prepared to fly close enough to Bangkok to be of any use.
"I think it would be irresponsible of me, as prime minister, not to act today," he said. "I think I've got to show some leadership."
Permission will be needed for the Hercules, which can carry 65 passengers, to land at U-Tapao military airbase.
Mr Key said Thai authorities were reacting "very favourably" and understood the situation.
He said one of the factors that would be considered was the level of unrest in Thailand.
"The mood in Bangkok remains tense, there is a possibility of further outbreaks of violence although foreign tourists at this point have not been targeted," he said.
Although it is preparing to use the Hercules, the Government still believes commercial flights are the best way to get out of Bangkok - if New Zealanders can get seats on them.
"Measuring progress over the last 24 hours, we are not satisfied that these arrangements will secure the departure of sufficient New Zealanders from Thailand quickly enough," Mr Key said.
The Hercules are noisy, uncomfortable transport aircraft and the Government would have preferred to use the Air Force's Boeing 757 passenger aircraft.
But the two they have are both out of action. One is being upgraded in Alabama and the other is also in the United States for maintenance.
Mr Key was clearly unhappy about that and said it was something the Government was going to address.
Air Force spokesman Squadron Leader Glenn Davis earlier today told NZPA a Hercules could be deployed "at a moment's notice" and although they were slower they were fit for the job.
"We've certainly got the ability to respond," he said.
Latest reports from Bangkok were that a bomb blast had killed an anti-government protester and wounded 22 others at Bangkok's domestic Don Muang airport, which is also blockaded.
The demonstrators are trying to topple Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government, accusing him of being a pawn for his brother-in-law, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and is now in exile.
- NZPA
