Bhumjaithai Party proposes bill to safeguard Thai hajj pilgrims stranded abroad

A groundbreaking solution is on the horizon as the Bhumjaithai Party‘s Southern working committee strategises a preventative measure; proposing a bill to safeguard Thai hajj pilgrims from potential misery abroad brought about by issues back home.

Astoundingly, above 500 pilgrims hailing from Yala, Thailand found themselves in an unfortunate entanglement, trapped and unsupervised on arrival in Saudi Arabia during the hajj period, despite an individual contribution of over 270,000 baht towards the pilgrimage expenses.

Premiere voices of the committee, including the former Narathiwat parliamentary representative, Nujmuddin Uma, strongly expressed the urgency for a revamp of the current Hajj Affairs Promotion Act, negating future recurrences of the incident.

While tales of Thai pilgrims being left adrift have become a familiar annual narrative, the recent incident involving a staggering 500 individuals has inflicted an unprecedented degree of damage elevating the urgent call for solution. He voiced, “It’s time the problem was addressed.”

Amid the proposed renovations under the committee’s showcased bill, hajj tour arrangements would be systematically overseen by a state-backed, financed, and supervised public organisation.

Furthermore, the bill proposes the initiation of a countrywide committee specifically on hajj affairs which would be chaired by none other than the Prime Minister. Membership of the committee would boast a selection of high-tier government officials across multiple sectors along with esteemed Muslim scholars.

In addition to the above, the bill also provides for a specialist hajj affairs branch responsible for supervising the hajj mission, alongside the proposal for an offices dedicated solely to hajj affairs.

Deputy Interior Minister Naris Khamnurak, concerning the currently stranded pilgrims, has commissioned the Department of Provincial Administration’s hajj affairs promotion division to offer immediate and comprehensive assistance. This charge includes ensuring the financial stability and reliability of all hajj tour organisers to avoid similar scenarios in the future.

Simultaneously, Minister Naris Khamnurak added that efforts by Dopa to liaise with concerned entities to tackle soaring airfares would be prudent in light of the significant overall cost of a hajj package. An average package, including a 40-day trip, can accumulate hefty expenses up to an average 250,000 baht (US$7,200).