First 29 Thais from Iran arrive home, MFA presses on with evacuation
The first group of evacuees landed safely at Suvarnabhumi on March 9, with more Thai nationals due back on March 10 as officials press ahead with further repatriation from Iran.
- The first group of 29 Thai nationals has been successfully evacuated from Iran, arriving safely in Thailand on March 9.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is continuing the evacuation, with two more groups scheduled to return on March 10 and 11, totaling approximately 98 more people.
- The complex evacuation process involves transporting citizens by road from Iran to Turkey, from where they then board flights back to Thailand.
- The MFA is also monitoring the situation in neighboring countries and preparing backup plans to facilitate the return of other Thai nationals in the region.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA), held a press briefing to welcome the first group of 29 Thai nationals evacuated from Iran via Turkey, who arrived safely in Thailand on Sunday (March 9) at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Embassy officials and relevant agencies facilitated their journey throughout the route.
Details of the evacuation and operational plan
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation was being carried out in line with the government’s urgent policy, which places the safety of citizens as the top priority.
The ongoing evacuation schedule is as follows:
- First group (March 9): 29 people have already arrived in Thailand (including adults and children).
- Second group (March 10): another 23 people are scheduled to arrive in Thailand.
- Third group (March 11): around 75 more Thai nationals, most of them students, are due to be moved from Tehran and Qom by road to the Turkish border before boarding flights back to Thailand.
The journey was difficult, requiring more than 10 hours by road to Van, Turkey, followed by an overnight stay before continuing to Istanbul to board a flight.
He said the Iranian government had cooperated well in ensuring safety along the route.
The MFA’s earlier briefings also confirmed that evacuees from Tehran and Qom were being received in Van before onward travel by air.
Reflections from an evacuee representative
A representative of the returning Thai group said that there were still air strikes in some parts of Iran, particularly in Tehran, prompting some residents to move to stay with family in other provinces or to seek shelter underground.
However, Thai nationals had remained in close contact and supported one another through the embassy and Thai associations.
“The journey took more than two days in total. Although we were exhausted, we felt grateful to everyone who offered encouragement and extended a helping hand to bring us home safely.”
Assessment of the regional situation
Sihasak added that the Ministry was closely monitoring and assessing the situation in neighbouring countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
Backup plans were also being prepared to reserve seats on commercial flights from Dubai and Riyadh in order to facilitate Thai nationals wishing to return home.
MFA briefings issued on March 7 also said Thai missions were coordinating possible return routes via Riyadh and neighbouring Gulf states, where airspace restrictions remained in place.
The government has not made evacuation compulsory, but is trying to encourage Thai nationals in high-risk areas to return first for their own safety.
It will continue to monitor the situation until it returns to normal.
