WHEN MEGAN Evans became Megan O'Rourke in Ballarat in Australia three weeks ago, she had no idea that a big part of the honeymoon would be played out in Thailand's worst political crisis in decades.
The Loughrea-based veterinarian and her new husband are now concerned about what is going to happen to their wedding photos and Megan's wedding dress, which they deposited in left-luggage at Bangkok's international Suvarnabhumi airport.
They had no way of knowing it would become the focus of a growing political crisis.
"Everything is stuck in left-luggage, my wedding dress and our wedding photos, and no way of getting them back," Ms O'Rourke said. "I've got three pairs of shorts and a Hulk T-shirt I bought on the streets here for three baht or something," said Mr O'Rourke.
They are frustrated, but not particularly angry, in line with the reaction of most of the 200 or 250 Irish stuck in Bangkok. The O'Rourkes are not massively worried, either, though the wedding pictures are an issue. Their story is a familiar one among the 100,000 foreign travellers stuck in Thailand by the occupation of Bangkok's two main commercial airports by anti-government protesters who want to oust prime minister Somchai Wongsawat.
The anti-government protesters believe the incumbent is governing by proxy for former PM Shinawatra Thaksin, who is on the run from corruption charges.
Eoin Duggan, first secretary from the Irish Embassy to Thailand, which is accredited from the embassy of ambassador Eugene Hutchinson in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, has been dealing with scores of calls from anxious Irish travellers stuck in Thailand.
There have been about 120 worried tourists calling him, while the Department of Foreign Affairs has also been talking to scores of Irish tourists facing difficulties. Thailand is also home to between 1,000 and 1,500 Irish citizens.
"The Irish were under pressure, some more than others," Mr Duggan said. "Some people need to get home urgently, while some were under less pressure to move."
John O'Kealy, owner of The Dubliner bar in downtown Bangkok and a 10-year resident of the city, has seen many lost Irish pass through the doors of his bar.
"This is a civil war off the books and it's sad because no one wins," Mr O'Kealy said. "It's getting past the point where either side will walk away. The government might step down tomorrow but it will take at least a week for the airport to open."
Officials have said that about 300,000 travellers had been directly affected by the airport closures, with 100,000 stuck in Thailand, about 3,000 Thais stranded abroad and the rest waiting to come to Thailand on vacation during what is now the peak holiday season.