Thailand has clear evacuation plan for workers

BANGKOK, July 18 (TNA) - The Ministries of Labour and Foreign Affairs have prepared a clear evacuation plan for Thai workers in war-torn nations, including Libya, Israel, Iraq and Kenya. Sumet Mahosod, Director General of the Ministry of Labour's Department of Labour, and Prasittiporn Wetprasit, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs, told a press conference of the update on Friday, after a meeting to discuss assistance measures for Thai workers in the war-torn countries. Both officials reported that no Thai workers have yet been evacuated from the war-torn countries, but their ministries have worked closely together with overseas officials concerned to steadily evaluate the updated situation. Both officials confirmed once the situation in any of the countries are deemed critically serious, the prepared evacuation plan to safe places will be carried out for Thai workers in affected areas either by land, air or sea. According to the senior officials, worried relatives and friends of Thai workers in the war-torn nations can seek more information from a phone number, 662-5751047, provided by the Department of Consular Affairs' Protection of Thai Nationals Abroad Division, or from a hotline, 1694, provided by the Department of Employment. According to the Foreign Ministry, there are currently about 1,450 Thai nationals in Libya, 48 in Iraq, 28,000 in Israel and 30 in Kenya, who reportedly live outside clash areas.(TNA)