Thai floods shut Bangkok's second largest airport

Floodwaters inched closer to a terminal at the Thai capitals second largest airport Wednesday, leading many who had sought refuge at a shelter there to flee amid warnings that parts of Bangkok could be inundated by up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water.The flooding at Don Muang airport, which is primarily used for now-grounded domestic flights, is one of the biggest blows yet to government efforts to prevent the sprawling capital from being inundated. Its effective closure is certain to further erode public confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatras administration to defend the increasingly anxious metropolis of 9 million people.By Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 people sheltering there had fled as water continued to build around the terminal.Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport, the countrys main international gateway, has yet to be affected by flooding and flights there were operating normally. Most of the city has been spared inundation so far, though bottled water and other emergency supplies were running low in many areas.Yinglucks government declared a five-day public holiday on Tuesday in affected areas, including Bangkok, while the Education Ministry ordered schools to close until Nov. 7. Bangkok Gov. Sukhumbhand Paribatra called for those who dont need to be in the city and can afford to leave to do so.The prime minister warned in a televised address Tuesday that in a worst-case scenario, the enormous pressure of floodwaters pushing downstream into the city could combine with monthly high tides on Friday and Saturday to overwhelm recently reinforced flood walls and embankments protecting the city.