Homeward bound: Deputy Secretary for Security Ngai Wing-chit (right) expresses confidence that most stranded Hong Kong residents will be home in the next few days. Deputy Director of Immigration Department David Chiu looks on.

Deputy Secretary for Security Ngai Wing-chit estimates there are at least 400 Hong Kong residents currently stranded in Bangkok.

Another special flight operated by Cathay Pacific Airways has been approved. It will leave for Pattaya tomorrow to take 380 passengers home.

"The Government is very concerned about their situation and we understand they are very anxious to come home," Mr Ngai said.

"We will put in every effort to assist them and I am confident that most of the stranded Hong Kong residents will be home in the next few days."

Mr Ngai said the Government immediately responded by liaising with the Pattaya airport authority and the airlines when it was informed that the Bangkok airports were essentially shut down due to protestors.

Air slots in Pattaya limited

As the Pattaya airport is an air force base, it does not have facilities suitable for most of the commercial flights, Mr Ngai. That makes it difficult to secure air slots for flights from Hong Kong.

He added sending special flights through airlines is the best arrangement to avoid competition for air slots.

A special Cathay Pacific flight will arrive from Pattaya later today carrying 380 passengers. There were six special flights operated by three airlines in the past few days bringing 1,100 people to Hong Kong from Pattaya.

HK residents return home via Guangzhou

Following close coordination with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong, a group of 13 Hong Kong residents arrived in Guangzhou last night from Pattaya on a special flight Mainland authorities had arranged.

Another group of 50 are expected to arrive in Guangzhou today. Staff from Hong Kong's Guangdong Economic & Trade Office will help with transport arrangement and immigration clearance for the Hong Kong residents.

The Immigration Department's 24-hour hotline (852) 1868 had received 1,142 enquiries and 667 calls for assistance up to 11am today.

Deputy Director of Immigration David Chiu said priorities will be given to urgent cases.

He said two Immigration officers are in Pattaya to offer help to Hong Kong residents, including those short on cash.

"There should not be any Hong Kong residents stranded in Pattaya because of cash issues. We are there to assist them," Mr Chiu said.

Cathay Pacific's General Manager of Corporate Communication Dane Cheng said they are trying to get approval for a special flight to leave for Pattaya on Tuesday, also.