Thai PM says preparing evacuation of citizens in Middle East
The Straits Times
About 29 Thai nationals in Iran and 20 in Israel have registered their wish to return to Thailand. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Bangkok - Thailand is readying to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East by military or charter flights, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said March 1, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran – which answered with its own missile strikes.
The government has “coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force to prepare aircraft to evacuate Thai citizens, prioritising those in Iran”, Mr Anutin told reporters in Bangkok, adding that charter flights were also under consideration.
“We have to check the closure of airspace, whether we need to evacuate them to the third country first,” he said.
“The Thai government will do everything to bring Thai citizens back safely. If they want to return, we will take them back.”
About 110,000 Thais were living in the region, including around 65,000 in Israel and about 250 in Iran, Thai foreign ministry spokesman Panidone Pachimsawat told a press briefing on March 1.
About 29 Thai nationals in Iran and 20 in Israel have registered their wish to return to Thailand with the government, he said.
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