ID :
335652
Thu, 07/17/2014 - 15:50
Auther :

Authorities prepared for evacuating Thai workers from war-torn nations

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) - Authorities of agencies concerned plan to assist Thai workers in war-torn countries, including evacuating them to safe places, if necessary. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sek Wannamethee, who is also Director General of the ministry's Department of Information, told journalists on Thursday that his ministry's Consular Affairs Department, as well as the Ministry of Labour and other concerned agencies will meet in Bangkok on Friday to discuss plans on assisting Thai workers in the war-torn countries, including Libya, Iraq and Israel, covering preparations for evacuating them to safe places. Sek said that authorities of the concerned agencies will consider whether they need to coordinate with the Royal Thai Air Force and Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, in arranging airplanes for the evacuation of the Thai nationals. Sek revealed that the authorities have initially agreed that Jordan should be a suitable country for aircraft to land to evacuate Thai workers from Iraq and Israel back home. Sek acknowledged, however, that no Thai workers from the war-torn countries have requested to return home so far. The senior Thai official noted that the evacuation, if any, depends on the updated daily situation and will be based on individual workers' decisions voluntarily. According to the Foreign Ministry, there are currently 1,450 Thai nationals in Libya, 48 in Iraq and 28,000 in Israel, all of whom live outside clash areas. (TNA)

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