(Adds reported end to airport occupation)

Two Maltese couples are still stranded in Thailand, despite efforts by the Malta Foreign Ministry to arrange a flight out of the country.

A total of nine Maltese were originally trapped at Bangkok airport after government opponents occupied the airport.

Ian and Uraiwan Galea said the Maltese consulate in Thailand was trying get them home.

"We are flying with Emirates and they do not have any flights available at the moment and they gave us no option but to wait. We were due to return on the 30th Nov, but due to all the political turmoil that happened we are still stuck here."

They said that the Maltese consulate had faxed them a flight confirmation to return to Malta on December 8, but when they called at the Emirates office they were told that this flight was cancelled as they did not know when the airport would reopen.

"What we have to do is to go to Emirates office everyday and pray to God that they organize a flight that we can get on it."

Meanwhile, international media have reported that the protestors have now left Bangkok's airport after their eight-day occupation.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) ended the occupation after a court banned Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics.

The first flight has already landed but international flights are expected to resume tomorrow.