BANGKOK– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the repatriation of exchange students from Thailand currently in the United States, who are all expected to return this month.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Spokesman Cherdkiat Atthakor, said on Wednesday that the ministry is working with AFS International to repatriate Thai exchange students in the AFS program who are currently in the United States, where the new coronavirus disease is now spreading fast.
He said some students who were in the U.S. and other countries have already returned to Thailand by themselves prior to the surge of cases, however a big group of students still remains in the U.S., wanting to return home.
At present, there is no direct commercial flight operating from the U.S. to Thailand, however some airlines are still operating connecting flights between the U.S. and Thailand. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been looking after exchange students in the US. through the Royal Thai Embassy, especially in regards to their medical insurance. The ministry expects all of these students will be able to return to Thailand in the course of this month.
Thai nationals abroad who wish to return to Thailand must provide a valid Fit-to-Fly medical certificate and a document from the Thai embassy in order to board a flight. They will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Thailand.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, said today that children and youths returning from abroad will be well taken care of, adding that exchange students from the U.S. will be treated as a group in the same manner as the student group that previously returned from Italy. They will be monitored even prior to their journey, during their travels, and upon arrival where they will be transferred to a quarantine facility at Sattahip Naval Base in Chonburi, or the Air Force’s Flying Training School in Nakhon Pathom.
He said the repatriation must be well coordinated between the AFS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (NNT)
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