Thailand Begins Evacuating Citizens from the Middle East in Response to Escalating Conflict

(Bangkok, 8th) The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that as conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, the Thai government has started to evacuate Thai nationals from the region.

Panidone Pachimsawat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information and Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, briefed the media at Government House on the Middle East situation and the latest progress in assistance provided by the Thai government to Thai citizens in high-risk areas.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the overall situation in the Middle East remains tense, with missile and drone attacks ongoing in several locations. In particular, violence in Iraq has escalated, and Lebanon continues to suffer attacks, with the evacuation of local civilians nearing a humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, targets related to the United States continue to be attacked, such as military bases and U.S. personnel accommodations in Gulf states.

However, most attacks have been intercepted.

In terms of aviation, several countries in the region still have closed airspace and have suspended commercial flights, including Iran, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Qatar.

The United Arab Emirates has begun partially resuming flights to evacuate stranded passengers; while Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan continue to keep their airspace open, serving as important hubs for evacuating people from the Middle East by air.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that as of now, there have been no reports of Thai citizens being injured or killed.

The authorities also urged Thai nationals in high-risk areas to consider leaving as soon as possible and to register their personal information with the local Thai embassy or consulate, so that assistance can be provided.

Regarding evacuation efforts, a group of 62 Thai nationals from Tehran and Qom left Iran on the morning of March 7, 2026, and are expected to arrive in Turkey on the same day; another group is scheduled to depart on March 10, 2026.

Officials from the Thai Department of Consular Affairs and staff from the Thai Embassy in Ankara have been on standby in Van, Turkey, since March 6, 2026, to receive Thai citizens evacuated from Iran and coordinate with local authorities to assist their entry through the Kapikoy border checkpoint.

The Thai side is also coordinating with various relevant national governments, including Iran, the United States, and Israel, to ensure the evacuation proceeds safely.

The latest updates indicate that the first batch of evacuated Thai citizens is nearing their destination.

In addition, the Thai Embassy in Tehran plans to temporarily transfer operations to the city of Van in Turkey starting March 10, 2026, to more conveniently provide continuous assistance to Thai nationals remaining in Iran.

Meanwhile, Thai officials are also preparing to assist another 10 Thai nationals who will travel from Iraq to Turkey via Mardin, where they will receive assistance to return to Thailand.