Ray and Pam Elsome were waiting for a connecting flight in Bangkok after enjoying a few weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia when thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the airport.
Ray, who ran Elsome Engineering in Melton, said: "When we arr
ived we didn't know anything about it but after a few hours it became clear something was wrong. We were supposed to catch a flight at about midnight but by 6am still nothing was happening.
"At about 2pm the next day they started to help us get out but there were 3,500 people all pushing and shoving. We were on a different level to the protesters but I could see them in the reflection of the roof, it was just a sea of yellow."
The pair had to queue for hours to get out of the waiting room and through customs because they had never intended to officially enter the country.
They met Faye Peacock, wife of the England Rugby League captain Jamie, who was six months pregnant and needed to get to hospital for a check-up.
Thankfully they were all allowed to leave the airport and Ray and Pam were put up in a hotel and given food by the Thai government.
Ray said: "It was all very strange. We never felt threatened at any point, it was a bit noisy but otherwise a peaceful protest. Out in the streets of Bangkok it was business as usual.
"Although we heard a few hair-raising stories, we were well looked after by the tour operator and the Thai government we just felt a bit let down by the British Government. They just told us to sit tight."
After nearly a week, the couple were taken on an almost 2,000 mile bus trip to Kuala Lumpur before flying to Kong Kong and on to Heathrow, arriving home on Tuesday morning six days later than usual.
Ray said: "It was all a bit of excitement to end the holiday."
Sadly Pam's sister died while they were away and the couple missed the funeral because of the delay.
*The yellow-clad protesters were anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy who were demanding the resignation of prime minister Somchai Wongsawat.
Many in Thailand saw him as a puppet of deposed leader and former owner of Manchester City Thaksin Shinawatra
The protest was called off yesterday when a court banned Somchai Wongsawat from politics.
SAFE RETURN: Pam and Ray Elsome were happy to return home to Wymondham PHOTO: JIM HARRISON
