Thailand prioritises evacuating Thais from Iran as airspace limits complicate routes

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Tuesday that Thailand’s top priority is to evacuate all Thai nationals who want to leave Iran, and the government is urgently working out safe routes and flight options amid airspace restrictions.

Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 1.40pm on Tuesday, Sihasak said Thai embassies across the Middle East are coordinating with host governments, which have been preparing designated safe areas for residents, while Thailand continues to monitor the situation closely.

He said the government’s immediate focus is on bringing Thai nationals in Iran back to Thailand first. Thais who wish to return should notify officials as soon as possible, he said, to allow authorities to assess the safest and most practical routes — including combinations of land travel and flights where available.

Airspace limits, shifting routes

Sihasak said travel options are being shaped by the fluid operating environment, including the closure of airspace in some areas and the gradual resumption of limited flights in others. He pointed to the United Arab Emirates as an example where some areas may reopen airspace and airlines may resume services, adding that Thailand would work to ensure there are sufficient tickets for those able to travel by air. He said similar planning is under way for Bahrain.

At the same time, he said officials are working to keep Thai nationals in safe locations and to move people out of high-risk areas — particularly those located near US military bases, which could face elevated risk as regional tensions rise.

Wider footprint than 2024, more Thais potentially affected

Asked how this crisis differs from the fighting in Israel in 2024, Sihasak said the current conflict covers a far wider geographic area, citing a regional arc spanning Iran, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and as far as Cyprus.

That broader footprint also means a larger Thai population could be exposed to disruption, he said. While previous assessments during the 2024 conflict involved around 40,000 Thai nationals, he said current estimates are now well into six figures. The Foreign Ministry has previously said there are about 110,000 Thai nationals residing in the Middle East overall.

Israel: most Thais plan to stay for now

For Israel, the foreign minister said many Thai nationals still intend to remain, citing confidence in safety measures and Israel’s missile interception capability. He said about 65,000 Thais in Israel have indicated they want to stay for now, and he urged the public not to panic, stressing that contingency plans have been prepared for other locations across the region.

“Evacuation” in Iran; facilitation elsewhere

Sihasak said the situation in Iran now qualifies as an evacuation, while in other areas the government is mainly providing facilitation and support, based on country-by-country conditions.

He said the Thai embassy in Iran has around 10 staff, who are operating in an area that could be affected by attacks, but confirmed there had been no impact reported so far. He said the situation remains unpredictable and must be tracked closely, and that officials will assess whether embassy personnel also need to be evacuated depending on operational necessity.

Possible routes: Turkey first, charter option under review

On initial plans, Sihasak said Thai nationals leaving Iran would likely travel overland to Turkey first to connect with available flights — an approach also referenced in recent public briefings on Thailand’s evacuation planning.

He added that Thailand is also exploring alternatives if commercial capacity is insufficient, including the option of arranging a chartered aircraft, potentially involving an aircraft staged from Egypt to pick people up, depending on access and security conditions.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has set up a regional situation centre (“war room”) and 24-hour consular support as part of its broader response posture, with ongoing coordination across Thai missions in the region.