Thailand weighs Turkey transit, Egypt charter for Iran evacuation
Thailand is preparing to evacuate Thai nationals from Iran as fighting spreads across parts of the Middle East, with Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow outlining the government’s response yesterday, March 3.
Thai embassies across the region are reportedly working with host governments to set up safe areas for Thai nationals as officials keep a close watch on the situation.
Sihasak said the government’s priority is to bring all Thais in Iran back to Thailand, urging anyone who wants to return to notify officials promptly so travel routes can be arranged.
Possible travel routes are being reviewed, including options through the United Arab Emirates if parts of its airspace reopen and airlines resume services. Officials are also working to secure enough tickets, with similar arrangements being examined for Bahrain.
At the same time, Sihasak said Thai nationals across the region must be kept in safe locations and moved out of high-risk areas, particularly places near United States military bases.
When asked about how the current situation differs from the Israel-Iran tensions in 2024, Sihasak said the latest conflict covers a much wider area.
Affected locations reportedly stretch from Iran and Israel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and as far as Cyprus.
The wider conflict has also changed the estimate of Thai nationals in the region, from about 40,000 previously to more than 100,000 now.
Sihasak repeated that Thai nationals living in Iran must be brought out first, while plans are in place for other locations to manage where people should go and how assistance will be provided.
He urged people not to panic, noting that Israel has a missile interception system and that most Thai nationals there, about 65,000, want to stay on because they are confident in existing security measures.
The situation in Iran is now being treated as an evacuation, while arrangements elsewhere are focused on facilitation
The Thai embassy in Iran has about 10 staff and is located in an area considered a potential target, but it has not been affected so far, he noted.
The situation remains unpredictable and is being monitored closely, including whether embassy staff may need to be evacuated. He added that there are plans for everyone to leave once the mission to bring Thai nationals out is completed.
The initial plan is for evacuees to travel to Turkey first, where officials can check which airlines are still operating, or to arrange a charter flight from Egypt to pick them up, reported Amarin TV.
In a separate development, Suvarnabhumi International Airport deployed staff after flight cancellations linked to unrest between Israel and Iran, coordinating with airlines at the terminal to support passengers and arrange additional accommodation as cancellations increased.
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