Bangkok: Prime Minister Paethongtarn summoned Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers to discuss the conflict situation in the Middle East, ordered preparation of energy reserves from other sources, and prepared a plan to evacuate Thais from Iran and Israel.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister, chaired a meeting to monitor the situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which affects the price and volume of Thai oil, and a meeting on measures to prepare for the evacuation of Thais from the Middle East. The Prime Minister is concerned about the unrest between Israel and Iran, which has closed airspace and transportation systems, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, an important strait for exporting oil from the Middle East.
The Prime Minister invited Mr. Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Mr. Pichai Chunhavajira, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Maris Sengiampong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ekkasiri Pindaruchi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with Mr. Prommin Lertsuridej, Secretary-General to the Prime Minister, to discuss and assess the energy readiness situation. Thailand has oil reserves for approximately two months. The meeting discussed importing energy from other sources and assigned the Ministry of Energy to prepare for a prolonged conflict between Israel and Iran.
After that, the Prime Minister invited representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report on the evacuation readiness. The Ministry reported that the situation in Israel and Iran is now fully prepared, especially in Iran, where there are about 300 Thais. Most are Thais with families in Tehran. As for laborers, there are about 30 people who, if they express their intention, are ready to be brought back to Thailand.
In Israel, there are approximately 40,000 Thais, of whom about 100 have expressed their intention to return. The rest are waiting to see the situation but have been evacuated to safe areas. The Prime Minister asked for close monitoring of the situation in both countries and preparation to evacuate Thais immediately if the situation worsens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will decide on evacuations with hourly assessments of the situation.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have surveyed border routes of both countries to connect to the plane, as their airspaces are currently closed, halting air travel.