"It was beyond belief," said Angela Jackson, 58, of Glasgow, after the Thai capital's seven-day airport siege by government protesters was lifted.

And Carl Evans, of Leeds, declared: "It was very worrying."

Philip and Paula Gabbie, of South Manchester, were stranded in Bangkok after a cruise. A frustrated Paula described Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy protesters - who were fighting alleged electoral fraud - as a group of immature children who were holding them hostage.

A Chabad centre in the Thai city offered aid to stranded Jews.

"Some travellers were without food," said Nechama Dina Kantor, the centre's director.

"And we got lots of calls from relatives abroad who wanted to get in touch with their loved ones."

The few Israeli-run restaurants in Bangkok were packed with travellers - many running short of cash - whose flights home had been hit by the anarchic demonstrations.

Mrs Jackson, 58, finally got home one week late after a 30-hour flight by a roundabout route.

She flew from the Thai city of Chiang Mai to the UK via South Korea and Amsterdam.

"My nephew is getting married in Garnethill Synagogue on Sunday and I am delighted to be back for that," said the University of Strathclyde programmes director.

Mrs Jackson, who had been trying to get education projects implemented in Thai schools, added: "The Thai people are gentle. We never felt in danger.

"In another country, the trouble might have escalated." She thought her husband David, who was at home, was probably more anxious than she was.

Mr Evans had been on a three-day cruise stopover in Bangkok when the political turmoil broke out.

The former Beth Hamidrash Hagadol president and the 200 other passengers found they were unable to leave the country.

The delay meant that the optician had to cancel more than a week's optical appointments back home in Leeds.

Even before the passengers had reached Bangkok's luxury Shangri-La Hotel, the Far East cruise had turned into a disaster.

"Our two-week cruise lasted more than a month," said Mr Evans. "It was not a holiday, but a very worrying experience."

Problems began when the liner was delayed from leaving Beijing because of a severe stomach virus on board.

Even when the ship eventually left China, many passengers were taken ill and the cruise was "dogged with problems", he added. Mr Evans went on: "There was tension among the mixed group of guests.

"Although the hotel bent over backwards to help us, people were worried about their finances - and some about their jobs.

"We felt like hostages in beautiful surroundings. We were terribly inconvenienced."

But it was not all doom and gloom in Bangkok. Mr Evans, who regularly leads services at Harrogate Hebrew Congregation, took Shabbat services for 85 Jewish guests at the hotel where kosher meals - including a cholent kiddush - were provided by the local Lubavitch.

Finally, on Monday he was given just 10 minutes to pack his bags and leave.

He said: "One passenger was in a swimsuit. I was in my shorts.

"I had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But you have to be philosophical. I would go again to Bangkok."