Thailand readies military and charter flights to evacuate citizens from the Middle East after US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered regional retaliation.
BANGKOK: Thailand is preparing to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East using military or charter flights following a series of retaliatory strikes between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed the government has coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force to prepare aircraft, prioritising the evacuation of Thai nationals in Iran.
He added that authorities are also considering charter flights while checking for airspace closures that might necessitate an initial evacuation to a third country.
The labour ministry estimates tens of thousands of Thai workers are in the region, with nearly 59,000 registered in Israel and more than 11,000 registered in Abu Dhabi, a post covering the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Iran.
Anutin pledged that the Thai government would do everything necessary to bring its citizens back safely, stating, “If they want to return, we will take them back.”
The evacuation plans follow waves of US and Israeli strikes against Iran on Saturday, which prompted swift retaliation from the Islamic republic.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to continue striking Iran until its government falls, while Iranian state television confirmed the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday.
Fresh explosions were reported in Doha, Dubai and Manama amid the escalating conflict.
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel have all closed their airspaces to civilian traffic, at least partially, leading multiple airlines to cancel flights across the region.
