Thailand steps up Middle East evacuations as first group heads home today

The government is closely monitoring the crisis in the Middle East, with the first batch of evacuees due to arrive in Thailand today after 292 Thai nationals have so far been assisted home. Officials also stressed that domestic supplies of chemical fertiliser remain sufficient.

On Saturday (March 8), the Centre for Administration and Monitoring of the Situation in the Middle East held its daily press briefing. Panidone Pachimsawat, acting director-general of the Department of Information and deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave an update on the regional situation and progress in assisting Thai nationals.

He said the overall situation in the region remained severe, with exchanges of missile and drone attacks continuing, particularly in Israel, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon. At the same time, Iran has signalled that it will not attack other countries in the region and will instead target only United States military bases. Iran’s foreign ministry has issued a statement insisting that its actions are in self-defence and that it will continue to respond until attacks against Iran cease or until the United Nations Security Council carries out its duties.

However, he said close attention must be paid to attacks on infrastructure in the region. Reports indicate that drones have struck oil storage tanks in Kuwait, while a desalination plant in Bahrain has also come under attack. Meanwhile, the US president said Washington would strike Iran heavily and would consider expanding targets to areas that had previously not been within the scope of attack, leaving the situation tense and uncertain.

Panidone said that, regarding current airspace restrictions, Qatar remains closed to air traffic. However, Qatar Airways has begun operating emergency routes to transport cargo and evacuate some stranded passengers. So far, there have been no reports of Thai nationals being injured or killed in the incidents. Given the continuing uncertainty, the Foreign Ministry has urged Thai nationals to leave high-risk areas as soon as possible and to provide their location details to the relevant Thai embassies and consulates-general.

He added that, in Iran, the first group of Thai nationals from Tehran had safely travelled by road to Türkiye on the evening of March 7. They were received by teams from the Department of Consular Affairs and the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, which facilitated immigration procedures at the Kapikoy border crossing in Türkiye before their onward journey back to Thailand by air. The group has been divided into two batches, with the first due to arrive in Thailand on March 9 and the second on March 10.

Panidone said there would also be more Thai nationals travelling overland from Iran to Türkiye, with the Department of Consular Affairs, the Royal Thai Embassy in Tehran and the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara coordinating closely to ensure the operation proceeds smoothly. He said the evacuation was in line with government policy to urgently assist Thai nationals affected by the fighting in the Middle East and move them out of dangerous areas.

In the case of Türkiye, he said the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara continued its border mission to receive Thai nationals evacuated from Iraq. So far, Thai nationals have crossed into Mardin in three rounds, totalling 18 people, and arrangements will be made for their onward return to Thailand.

Altogether, 292 Thai nationals stranded in the Middle East have now been assisted and returned to Thailand. In other countries, Thai embassies and consulates-general will continue to provide assistance, advice and coordination with local authorities to expedite support efforts.

He also said that, while the situation remained fragile, the presentation of news and information to the public should be based on facts and social responsibility in order to avoid misunderstandings, especially while Thai nationals remain in the area. He stressed that the safety of Thai people remained the highest priority at this time.

Nantapong Jiralertpong, director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy and spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry, also briefed the media on domestic fertiliser stocks.

He said the ministry had been closely monitoring the situation and had required producers and importers of chemical fertiliser to report stock volumes and imports on the 10th day of every month so that the government could continuously monitor and manage supplies.

According to the latest data from the Commerce Ministry, Thailand currently has around 1.52 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser in stock, while average monthly demand stands at 0.8 million tonnes, meaning supplies are sufficient for domestic use.

Nantapong said February stock figures would be reported on March 10 and were expected to increase, as some imports had already been planned in advance before tensions in the Middle East escalated. Thailand also imports fertiliser from several countries. Urea, which is a key raw material for chemical fertiliser and accounts for 36% of total fertiliser use, currently stands at around 0.32 million tonnes in stock, or about 6.5 million bags.

In addition, around 120,000 tonnes of urea, equivalent to 2.4 million bags, are currently being imported from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. In total, Thailand will therefore have around 8.9 million bags of urea available. When combined with existing chemical fertiliser supplies, this would be enough for about five months of use.

Nantapong said the ministry was nonetheless closely monitoring global market costs and pricing structures, while ensuring that fertiliser sales reflected actual costs and took into account the impact on farmers as much as possible. He added that Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun had instructed provincial commerce offices nationwide to intensify inspections of chemical fertiliser sales in order to prevent excessive pricing or unjustified price increases. Any violations would be prosecuted under the law.

The Commerce Ministry reaffirmed that chemical fertiliser supplies in Thailand remain sufficient to meet demand and urged farmers not to rush to purchase or hoard fertiliser.