Foreign Ministry focuses on moving Thais out of Libya
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Aug 4 -- Efforts are being made with the Thai embassy in Trpoli, the Libyan capital of Tripoli, and Thailand's honourary consul in Tunis, the Tunisian capital, to evacuate Thais remaining in Libya, said Thongchai Chasawath, director-general of Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Consular Affairs Department.

The first group of eight Thai students returned home Saturday.

Mr Thongchai, who arrived in Tunisia on Friday to supervise evacuation of Thai workers and students from Libya, said he had assigned ministry officials to coordinate with the Thai embassy in Tripoli and the honourary consul in Tunis in cooperating with the Tunisian government in evacuating the Thais from Libya at every point, especially at the border crossing between Djerba and Libya.

He said the border crossing in Djerba is chaotic due to massive evacuation while the Tunisian government prioritises Libyan evacuees.

Evacuation of other nationalities from Libya must be assisted by their own governments.

More than 26,000 people have evacuated to Tunisia since July 29 and evacuees to that country are still continuing, he added.

In another development, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Puangketkeow said in Bangkok that problem of evacuation of Thais at the Libyan border is now settled following talks.

Mr Sihasak said it is found from employers that many Thai workers in Libya wanted to return home on safety concerns.

He said a chartered flight would probably be arranged for the workers wishing to return home while some may have to travel to the Egyptian capital of Cairo and then travel by ship.

Concerned authorities met Sunday to discuss evacuation plans for Thais from Libya to safer areas, said Mr Sihasak.

Despite the ongoing fighting, Mr Sihasak said the Thai embassy in Tripoli would not be closed because embassy staff who are Libyan are still providing assistance to Thais wishing to continue staying in that country as they are worried about their employment or education status. (MCOT online news)

[tna]2014-08-04[/tna]

LIBYA
Some evacuees may have to return home by sea via Egypt

BANGKOK: -- The border crossing in Djerba is chaotic due to massive evacuation from Libya while the Tunisian government prioritises Libyan evacuees, Thongchai Yasawat, director general of Consular Affairs department said.

Thongchai is now in Tunisia to supervise evacuation of Thais from war-torn Libya. More than 26,000 people have evacuated to Tunisia since July 29 and evacuees to that country are still continuing.

Efforts are being made with the Thai embassy in Trpoli, the Libyan capital of Tripoli, and Thailand’s honourary consul in Tunis, the Tunisian capital, to evacuate Thais remaining in Libya, he said.

The first group of eight Thai students returned home Saturday.

Meanwhile Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Puangketkeow said in Bangkok that problem of evacuation of Thais at the Libyan border is now settled following talks.

Sihasak said it is found from employers that many Thai workers in Libya wanted to return home on safety concerns.

He said a chartered flight would probably be arranged for the workers wishing to return home while some may have to travel to the Egyptian capital of Cairo and then travel by sea.

Concerned authorities met Sunday to discuss evacuation plans for Thais from Libya to safer areas, said Sihasak.

Despite the ongoing fighting, Sihasak said the Thai embassy in Tripoli would not be closed because embassy staff who are Libyan are still providing assistance to Thais wishing to continue staying in that country as they are worried about their employment or education status.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Some-evacuees-may-have-to-return-home-by-sea-via-E-30240169.html

[thenation]2014-08-04[/thenation]

Well....they got 8 people out......not too many left there now!

The Arab spring turns into a nightmare, the whole region is dangerous, I hope all foreigners get out and think twice about returning to countries in the middle east, they are all unstable.

actually, 26k got out of Libia, but what now? Still no charter flights (and moving those people by air needs some 100 planes) and taking them out by boats is only a plan, with nothing organised yet. Most probably people will have to take commercial flights booked by themselves.

 

ps both articles are identical, just different sources 

Edited August 4, 201411 yr by londonthai

I never knew before that Thai people travel around the world..........what a surprise....They are even in many parts of Africa

thais are working there, in Libya in the oil industry. It's not necessarily "travelling"