Foreign Ministry Intensifies Efforts to Evacuate Thais out of Libya

TUNIS, August 3 (TNA) - Efforts are being made with the Thai embassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli and the honourary consul in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, to try to evacuate Thai citizens remaining in Libya after the first group of eight Thai students returned home Saturday, said Thongchai Chasawat, director-general of Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Consular Affairs Department. Mr. Thongchai, who arrived in Tunisia on Friday to help supervised evacuation of Thai workers and students from Libya, said that he had assigned the ministry officials to coordinate with the Thai embassy in Tripoli and the honourary consul in Tunis in cooperating with the government of Tunisia in evacuating the Thais from Libya at every point, especially at the border pass in Djerba which is close to Libya. According to Mr. Thongchai, situation at the border pass in Djerba is very chaotic due to massive evacuation while the Tunisian government prioritises on Libyan evacuees. Evacuation of other nationalities from Libya must be assisted by their own governments. More than 26,000 people have evacuated to Tunisia since July 29 and more evacuees to that country are still continuing, he added. In another development, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Puangketkeow said in Bangkok that problem of evacuation of Thais at the Libyan border is now settled following talks. Mr. Sihasak said that it is found from employers that many Thai workers in Libya wanted to return home on safety concerns. He said that a chartered flight would probably be arranged for the workers wishing to return home while some of them may have to travel to the Egyptian capital of Cairo and then travel by ship. Concerned authorities will hold a meeting this afternoon to discuss plans on evacuating the Thais from Libya to safer areas, said Mr. Sihasak. Despite the ongoing fighting, Mr. Sihasak said that the Thai embassy in Tripoli would not be closed because the embassy officials who are native people are still providing assistance to Thais wishing to continue staying in that country as they are worried about employment or education status. (TNA)