BANGKOK, 31 July 2014 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed that it is today sending a team of officials to help evacuate Thais from Tripoli, Libya.
According to the Ministry, the team comprising 10 officials from the ministries of Labor and Foreign Affairs as well as military paramedics are leaving for Tunis, Tunisia, this evening to work with Thai authorities stationed in that country regarding the evacuation process. Upon their arrival, an ad hoc center will be set up in Djerba to coordinate the border crossing process for Thai evacuees. Another temporary center will be set up in Tunis, to help find accommodations and deal with the rest of the evacuation process.
Meanwhile, the Tunisian government today opens a special immigration center at the Tunisian-Libyan border to facilitate foreigners wishing to cross into Tunisia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the first batch of Thais to be evacuated from Tripoli includes 40 students and workers who will cross the border into Tunisia by car before switching to a plane from the capital of Tunis. It is expected that the evacuation of this group would last no more than a week, after which the next batch of 70 Thais in Benghazi will be evacuated.
The Employment Department is currently contacting the employers and labor employment agencies involved for compensations and travel expenses for the affected workers.
