Foreign Ministry warns Thais to leave ‘risky’ Mideast

Situation rated violent, tense and uncertain

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday advised Thais to leave all risk areas in the Middle East as soon as possible, because the situation in the region remains violent, tense and uncertain.

Panidone Pachimsawat, deputy spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a press conference on Sunday evening that the overall situation in the Middle East remained violent and missile and drone exchanges were continuing, especially involving Iran, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon.

According to Mr Panidone, Iran signalled that it would not attack other countries in the region and would target only the military bases of the United States. The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Iran said that Iran was acting in self-defence, which would continue until attacks on Iran stopped or the United Nations Security Council did its duty.

Thailand is monitoring attacks on infrastructure in the region as there have been reports of drone attacks on oil tanks in Kuwait and on a desalinisation plant in Bahrain (which Israel has denied). 

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said American forces would continue their heavy attacks on Iran and might expand the targets.

“This results in ongoing tension and uncertainties,” Mr Panidone said.

“Although there has been no report of any casualties among Thais in the Middle East, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges Thais to leave risk areas as soon as possible due to the high uncertainty of the situation. Thais in the Middle East are also advised to inform Thai embassies and consulates-general of their locations,” he said.

Mr Panidone said the first group of 62 Thai evacuees from Iran arrived in Turkey and their repatriation flights would arrive in Thailand on Monday and Tuesday. A second group of Thai evacuees would travel by land from Iran to Turkey on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a total of 18 Thai evacuees from Iraq have crossed the border into Turkey in three groups. They will leave for Thailand from Istanbul. To date, 292 Thai evacuees have returned to Thailand from the Middle East.

Mr Panidone said that although Qatar’s airspace remains closed, Qatar Airways had begun emergency flights transporting cargoes and evacuees.

Qatar Airways would take travellers stranded in European cities and in Bangkok to Doha on Sunday, he said. 

There are about 77,000 Thais living throughout the Middle East, according to earlier government estimates.