1,000 Thais Missing In Libya

[webfact]

1,000 Thais missing in Libya

By The Nation

The Labour Ministry has deployed related agencies to search for more than 1,000 Thai workers in Libya who are still missing.

"We have received reports that more than 1,000 Thai workers are still missing in Libya," said Employment Department directorgeneral Jirasak Sukonthachart.

By 7pm on March 3, 2,942 workers had already arrived in Thailand while 1,977 workers were travelling by boat. Meanwhile, 8,386 workers are waiting in safe locations.

The ministry expects to have evacuated all Thai workers in Libya back to Thailand within 10 days.

"We hope the situation in Libya does not get worse and worse as it will affect the plan to evacuate Thai workers back home," he said.

However, the ministry has sent its staff to work with the International Organisation for Migration, which has set up temporary camps for workers in Benghazi and at Libya's borders with Tunisia, Egypt and Niger.

-- The Nation 2011-03-05

[ToffeEFCpower]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

[VictorOne]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

[rammis35]

Maybe they thought it would be safer there than coming back here before songkron with all the weapons missing in the last post....

[softgeorge]

Let me see if I am reading this right....... <However, the ministry has sent its staff to work with the International Organisation for Migration, which has set up temporary camps for workers in Benghazi and at Libya's borders with Tunisia, Egypt and Niger >Doe's this mean that Thailand has a humane side and is considering taking in Libyan refugees?<

Edited March 5, 2011 by softgeorge

[vicio]

If someone of them can cook thai food, I suggest to jump to Sicily to open a thai restaurant.

In Italy there aren't good thai restaurant, and Italians have a big passion for "thai" food and not only food...

Sicilian expat

[elcent]

NOT missing. First they were negletected for very obvius reason and then probably lost track - Money, Greed and Carelessness. One needs to understand how they work that here with placement agencies where the workers have to pay heavy comission for a job and this is endorsed by the govt.

Then we were told that 10000 want to stay there. and work. Does anybody believe this lie?

Until March 5th 8 000 Thais will be rescued and 10 000 more want to continue working there according to official sources.

Does anybody believe that?

Since it is so save, can the Nation go there and check the facts?

Aren't the accounts for Libya closed worldwide?

Who is paying them? Are those workers forced from it's own people to stay there? Go figure it out ...

... and honestly, I expected a scenario like this to appear.

Good luck for those workers and may their voices be heard soon.

I don't want them ending up as hostages there.

So finally the govt's calling in the job placement agencies in the next couple of days to make an assessment of how many Thai workers are in Lybia and to question about the workers that haven't fullfilled the contracts and not fully paid those agencies.

As expected ... MONEY, GREED CARELESSNESS RULES.

In meanwhile, and also as expected ... (not actually rocket science)

Sudden drop in people fleeing Libya into Tunisia sparks new concerns

News Stories, 04 March 2011

© UNHCR/A.Duclos

A group of people heading towards the Libyan border with Tunisia. The outflow of people has slowed.

GENEVA, March 4 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency on Friday reported a sharp drop in the numbers of people crossing the border at Ras Adjir from Libya into Tunisia, and said it was increasingly worried at reports of people being impeded from fleeing.

As of mid-week, some 10,000-15,000 people were crossing the border daily, placing huge strains on the abilities of Tunisian authorities and humanitarian agencies to cope. But since Wednesday afternoon the numbers have fallen sharply. On Thursday, less than 2,000 people crossed.

http://www.unhcr.org...w-concerns.html

the quotes were posted before. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/446125-10000-thai-workers-to-be-evacuated-from-libya/

Edited March 5, 2011 by elcent

[h5kaf]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Edited March 5, 2011 by h5kaf

[Tonto21]

Some good suggestions there guy’s, but joking aside, any still inside Libya is going through hell and the longer there still in Libya, the worse it’s going to get. I have been working in Libya for the last two years; it was just luck that I was on leave when all this kicked off. I had my flight, but thought better to stay and see what develops, (one of my smarter moves)

I have had sporadic contact with work colleges and friends there, and got some harrowing accounts of things going on, weapons leveled at them when they tried to get out of the desert and then relived of everything they owned, others crossing the border, via wire fences, we are not just talking grizzly old oil and gas workers, lots women, kids and babies as well.

I feel very lucky to have been in Thailand when this all went down, there but for the grace of God go I! I hope all foreign national citizens are out of there soon. I believe most European and American’s are out now, but it’s one big country, and work sites are very spread out. Thailand like some other smaller less well-disposed countries needs to stop mincing about and ask for help from other nations to get there people out. Somehow I don’t think the Thais stuck in Libya are getting much “face saving time” like there politicians.

[personchester]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

Contact 'Mossad' first, then follow their advice.

[Bagwan]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Sadly the RN is no longer the hard nosed, efficient fighting force it once was - for centuries.

[Soutpeel]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Sadly the RN is no longer the hard nosed, efficient fighting force it once was - for centuries.

Which RN are your taking about, didnt realise the Royal Thai Navy had been around for centuries ?

Or are you talking about the "real" Royal Navy ?

[dumball]

Me thinks the Thai should have made contingency plans to extricate THEMSELVES when the problem first started , they are there of their own volition so should also return to Thailand the same way , many TV posters talk of being thankful of leaving their ' Nanny states" but are now condemning Thai officials for not doing more to help these hapless citizens . You cannot have it both ways ,

[webfact]

Stranded Thai labourers expected to return home in next 10 days

BANGKOK, March 5 -- All of the stranded Thai workers in violence-torn Libya are expected to return home in the next 10 days, as the Labour Ministry has asked every job placement firm to compile a list of workers who have already arrived in Thailand and those still left behind in that country, a senior ministry official said.

Jeerasak Sukonthachart, director-general of Employment Department, told journalists after holding a meeting with representatives of 30 job placement agencies Friday that so far 3,079 Thai workers had arrived home from Libya while 8,386 workers were still in Libya and staying in safe areas.

Mr Jeerasak said 46 Thai workers are scheduled to arrive in Bangkok on Saturday evening. He said some 2,000 Thai workers evacuated from Libya aboard the first evacuation ferry from Tripoli had arrived in Tunisia, awaiting Thai Airways chartered flights back home. The ferry had now returned to Tripoli to pick up another group of more than 2,000 Thai workers who are now staying at temporary camps at a city about 45 kilometres from the border.

All of the stranded Thai workers are expected to be evacuated aboard Thai Airways chartered flights and arrive home in the next 10 days, he said.

Job placement firms, according to Mr Jeerasak, indicated that 1,235 Thai workers they had placed in jobs in Libya wished to return home while another 50 wanted to continue staying there.

Initially, Thai workers who had already returned home would receive Bt15,000 each as assistance from the Thai overseas fund. The entitled workers must bring documents required and submit them to every provincial employment office and they would then receive the money within four days.

For those workers who had returned home due to unrest in Libya while their employment contract was still valid, they could still ask for the balance of contracted money from provincial employment offices. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-03-05

[sirchai]

If someone of them can cook thai food, I suggest to jump to Sicily to open a thai restaurant.

In Italy there aren't good thai restaurant, and Italians have a big passion for "thai" food and not only food...

Sicilian expat

A Thai restaurant with 'full body massage service" for Silicon Mafiosos?

Even Italians running a restaurant in Europe have to pay for 'protection'. But they're the ones who'll destroy it, when they don't pay. Ciao.....:jap:

[norwayeagle]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

We should not underestimate The Thai "military !.Israelis/gurkas/norwegian Mariners...S.A.S ........list is quite long.

The Thais are also in that list!

[newsite12]

As long as they are out before the Idi Amin style ethnic cleansing begins.... Oh... Has is already started?

[Jeeem]

One thousand Thai's huh?

Hey, no big deal...sabai, sabai, mai pen rai!

That's only about a tenth of the number of Thai's killed on Thailand's roads due to their lousy driving skills.

-Jeeem-

[jimbeam1]

Me thinks the Thai should have made contingency plans to extricate THEMSELVES when the problem first started , they are there of their own volition so should also return to Thailand the same way , many TV posters talk of being thankful of leaving their ' Nanny states" but are now condemning Thai officials for not doing more to help these hapless citizens . You cannot have it both ways ,

But surely that would take forethought?

jb1

[ryladie99]

Maybe they thought it would be safer there than coming back here before songkron with all the weapons missing in the last post....

Good point and I can not sleep for a while. Worry too much about the Poor who are in the center of the two Bully Rich gangs. Sad but, true. Right now Laos and Vietnam are getting Richer and Richer. Watch out Thai people. Your Economy is not looking sexy in the eyes of the international community. At the same token, The American can not do much for Libya because internet in the country has been shut down ,hope the CIA and Israel do something before this Mad Mad orders to kill. The poor is the most who are suffering while the Rich is doing nothing. What 's a mess in Middle East? My comment is so mean but, I am standing tall.....

[ryladie99]

One thousand Thai's huh?

Hey, no big deal...sabai, sabai, mai pen rai!

That's only about a tenth of the number of Thai's killed on Thailand's roads due to their lousy driving skills.

-Jeeem-

Thanks for posting and you hit a 100% target...

My take and an opinion.

[ryladie99]

As long as they are out before the Idi Amin style ethnic cleansing begins.... Oh... Has is already started?

The State Department and the White House are so nervous at this moment. however, no one knows and I am waiting for Wall Street journal on Saturday. I urge everyone to watch ABC News on Sunday. You also can watch from Internet if you can get it. The American already has the battle ship and Stealth Bomber nearby. Senator Mccain and several Army chiefs are trying to propost for No fly zone. Everyone in the world is waiting and hoping ethnic cleansing will not happen.

Edited March 5, 2011 by ryladie99

[ryladie99]

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

Contact 'Mossad' first, then follow their advice.

Good point about Mossad and I totally forget about their are an experts....wow??

[bangon04]

1000 Thais are missing, but

"No Thai workers have been killed or injured in Libya or during their evacuation process, Labour Minister Chalermchai Srion told the House of Representatives yesterday."

So he obviously knows something that other people don't.....

He said it with a straight face, no doubt, and everyone believes him.

[pac4155]

Yeah, that's a sensible idea, sending a Jewish invasion force into a Muslim country...

World War III begins here...

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

Contact 'Mossad' first, then follow their advice.

[elcent]

12:29pm

As many as 40,000 Bangladeshi citizens have crossed the borders with Tunisia and Egypt, with others waiting on the borders, Waliur Rahman, a former Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Secretary tells Al Jazeera

12:20pm

Chinese state TV has said it has completed the evacuation of its nationals from Libya. The final batch of 300 - of an estimated 30,000 - touched down in a military transport plane in Guangzhou in the douth of the country.

What about the real figure of Thai workers in Libya? First it started with 23 000 and now there were only less than half of the number.

Me thinks the Thai should have made contingency plans to extricate THEMSELVES when the problem first started , they are there of their own volition so should also return to Thailand the same way , many TV posters talk of being thankful of leaving their ' Nanny states" but are now condemning Thai officials for not doing more to help these hapless citizens . You cannot have it both ways ,

sorry dumball, but this is big nonsense. Those people pay a lot of money for getting the jobs. They guarantee with their little land and houses they have and this is probably targeted by job-placement agencies. It would be interesting of what was and is being told to them. Most don't even know the Thai Emabassy or even have a phone number. And remember those job-placement agencies are under the umbrella of the govt.

Try to hire 50 people with guaranteed 50000 Baht salery/month and you wont get them, guaranteed, unless you use the channels of the half govt and half private agencies where they're going to milk the workers first before they will be sent to any destination.

It is also a kind of force majeure which releases the workers from any further payment to those agencies. Lawyers will need to find out the details.

Edited March 5, 2011 by elcent

[elcent]

from Jusuf Islam former Cat Stevens. A song inspired by the recent happenings in the Middle East and North Africa

[sydneyjed]

Don't patronise 'VictorOne .whatever religion you may be!.....It doesn't come across as smart mate when a person is down and vunerable or helpless...Don't go there!!

Send a Royal Thai Navy extraction force to Libiya to get these people out.

Your joking of course. That action would only increase the number of Thais missing in Libya.

Now if they were enlist the services of the Israeli Military you would be looking at a more successful outcome.

[boattime]

Soft George where in the heck did you get the picture you have on, it is great! My question to you is does Thailand not have a human side?

[Estrada]

Some good suggestions there guy’s, but joking aside, any still inside Libya is going through hell and the longer there still in Libya, the worse it’s going to get. I have been working in Libya for the last two years; it was just luck that I was on leave when all this kicked off. I had my flight, but thought better to stay and see what develops, (one of my smarter moves)

I have had sporadic contact with work colleges and friends there, and got some harrowing accounts of things going on, weapons leveled at them when they tried to get out of the desert and then relived of everything they owned, others crossing the border, via wire fences, we are not just talking grizzly old oil and gas workers, lots women, kids and babies as well.

I feel very lucky to have been in Thailand when this all went down, there but for the grace of God go I! I hope all foreign national citizens are out of there soon. I believe most European and American’s are out now, but it’s one big country, and work sites are very spread out. Thailand like some other smaller less well-disposed countries needs to stop mincing about and ask for help from other nations to get there people out. Somehow I don’t think the Thais stuck in Libya are getting much “face saving time” like there politicians.

I worked on the Great Man Made River Project for 6 years from 2004 until July last year, 3 positions below Gaddafi. I declined to extend my contract because I knew that the uprising was going to happen after Gaddafi refused to step down in September 2009. Also there was a pitched battle in Kufra between the local people and the Government forces. My bosses already fled to Egypt in 2009 to join other dissadents.

We had 2,500 Thais on our project. I believe the total figure is 23,000 Thais who were working in Libya on various infrastructure projects. According to the Libyans who control the Project labour force, only 54 Thais wanted to leave (this figure is only the same as the normal weekly shipment of Thais going home on vacation leave. Therefore you can say that the GMRP, which is Gaddafi's own Project, are not allowing the Thais to leave.

The projects consist of several 450-650km long pipelines, with pumping stations, from the sahara desert to the coastal areas. The construction camps near to the populated areas have been entered by locals who have looted the camps and removed vehicles, buses, cars, pickups, TVs, Laptops, and money and personal belongings of the workers including the Thais.

It is possible that the Thai workers in the desert may have chosen to stay as there are no people around, only lizards, scorpions and the odd camel. However, I doubt whtehr Gaddafi will be able to pay the workers due to the freezing of foreign bank accounts.

Only today has my friend who is one of the recruitment agents, been contacted by the Thai Ministry and Embassy to order his Agency to get all the thai workers out. I assume these are the so called missing 1,000 workers.

Estrada