Anti-government protesters who have been blockading Bangkok's main airport for over a week abandoned their checkpoints on Wednesday and started packing up their belongings to head for home.

A Reuters reporter said 2,000 yellow-shirted protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) were in and around the departure area of the $4 billion terminal, piling up in trucks.

PAD clean-up teams scurried around the area, sweeping up the mess. Around a dozen airport security police could be seen.

Authorities said the airport will resume operations from Thursday.-Reuters