About 300 Thais in Iran, including embassy staff, will be among the first to be evacuated as part of a broader effort to bring roughly 100,000 Thai nationals home from the Middle East, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced today.
The prime minister chaired an emergency meeting with Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Thai envoys based in Middle Eastern countries to discuss the volatile situation in the region and evacuation plans for the many Thai nationals living in Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region.
He said Iran is currently the most dangerous location, underscoring the urgent need to evacuate Thai nationals there, including embassy officials.
He added that it is currently impossible for Thais in Iran to apply for visas to leave the country due to the disruption of government services caused by the war. Thai officials, he said, are exploring every possible means to evacuate citizens to safety.
The prime minister disclosed, however, that only about 20% of Thais in the region have expressed willingness to be evacuated.
Of the roughly 60,000 Thais living and working in Israel, only about 20 have indicated they want to return to Thailand, as most trust the effectiveness of Israel’s air defence system. He noted that the number could rise if the conflict intensifies.
Foreign Minister Sihasak said Thais in Iran will first be evacuated to Turkey, after which chartered or commercial flights will be arranged to bring them back to Thailand.
He added that around 10 officials at the Thai embassy in Tehran may also have to be evacuated, although the embassy is not currently under direct threat.
