Foreign minister hopes 9 Thai ships transit Hormuz in two-week truce
Sihasak Phuangketkeow will visit Oman on April 15-16 to thank Oman for helping the Mayuree Naree crew and seek passage for nine Thai vessels.
- Thailand's Foreign Minister will visit Oman to ask for its help in negotiating with Iran for the safe passage of nine Thai ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The minister hopes the ships can transit during a two-week ceasefire, a period he acknowledged remains highly uncertain.
- One of the nine vessels is carrying a critical shipment of fertilizer that is urgently needed for Thailand's agricultural sector.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said in a briefing on the Middle East situation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (April 8) that he is scheduled to pay an official visit to Oman on April 15-16 to thank Oman for assisting the crew of the Mayuree Naree, follow up on how Oman and Iran are managing passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and ask Oman to contact Iran so that nine Thai ships still waiting to pass through the strait can do so during the two-week ceasefire.
“Among them is a ship carrying fertiliser, which is badly needed at this time. There must be enough in reserve; the agricultural sector will be affected,” Sihasak said.
He added that although a ceasefire had been agreed, the situation remained highly uncertain, and urged Thais in affected countries who wished to return to Thailand to use this two-week ceasefire window and contact a Thai embassy as soon as possible.
