Two Spanish Air Force planes and an Iberworld jet will fly out to Thailand later this afternoon to bring home around six hundred Spanish tourists stranded at airports in Bangkok since last Wednesday by anti-government protesters.

According to a Moncloa Palace source, the decision was taken yesterday evening after it emerged that dozens of protesters had been injured in a series of grenade attacks across the city, and just hours after an announcement to the contrary by secretary of state for Foreign Affairs, Angel Lossada.

At least 100,000 passengers have been grounded by blockades at Suvarnabhumi international airport 35km east of the capital, and at the national hub, Don Muang, roughly 30km to the north of the city, since the protests began five days ago.