Britons stranded in Bangkok say they have been abandoned by the British government because of its failure to provide rescue flights.

The governments of Spain, Italy and China have organised flights to evacuate nationals from Bangkok, and Australia and the Philippines are putting pressure on national carriers to repatriate stranded holidaymakers.

But British consul officials in Thailand maintain that they will intervene only to help stranded Britons with medical, legal and financial problems.

Some 100,000 tourists are currently stranded in Bangkok six days after all flights out of the city were grounded by anti-government protestors, who have seized the Thai capital’s two main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang.

A Foreign Office spokesman told Times Online that the British government did not know how many UK citizens are stranded in Bangkok. “It’s not our priority to count them, but to provide assistance,” he said.

Estimates put the number of stranded Britons in the thousands – some 70,000 British holidaymakers visited Thailand during November and up to 2,000 Britons normally arrive per day on direct flights between the UK and the Thai capital.

The Foreign Office spokesman says that its staff have visited British nationals and assisted with money transfers from friends and family. “Our role is to provide consular assistance,” the spokesman said. “The airlines provide hotels and flights.”

However Jane Thewlis, a Briton stranded in Thailand, told Times Online that she and other UK travellers felt let down by the Foreign Office, with other governments providing flights to get their nationals home.

“Many countries have arranged special flights for its trapped country men and women. Our government is taking the position that the situation will rectify itself and we can stay put," she said.

“I have been travelling alone and now face the possibility of spending the Christmas period away from those I love.”

Fellow Britons Henry Shearer and his girlfriend Gemma Radcliffe have been holidaying in Thailand for the past fortnight. Their Gulf Air flight home should have left last Saturday, but was cancelled because of the closure of Suvarnabhumi airport.

Mr Shearer, from London, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand has paid for their accommodation in a Bangkok hotel.

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