A row broke out between the British Embassy in Bangkok and a travel agency yesterday over the stranding of 19 Hong Kong people in Thailand for four days.
The tourists' passports went missing just before they were due to board a return flight on Monday. The tourists finally arrived at Kai Tak yesterday.
General manager of Wing On Travel, Alex Lee Chun-ting, said the issuing of emergency passports for the tourists could not be confirmed with the British Embassy until late on Thursday.
'The tour didn't want to return in a hurry and therefore chose to spend one more night in Bangkok,' he said.
However, British consul Brian Kelly said the stay was 'totally unnecessary' and the temporary documents were ready on Wednesday afternoon.
'We were told the travel agent would come to pick up the passports on Thursday morning. But they changed their minds,' said Mr Kelly.