The first batch of 78 Thai evacuees from war-torn Sudan arrived at Bangkok's Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base on Thursday night.
The evacuees - 40 women and 38 men - were welcomed by caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Defence Forces chief Gen Chalermpol Srisawat, Air Force commander ACM Alongkorn Wannarot, Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai, Prime Minister’s secretary-general Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, and other high-ranking officials.
Gen Prayut expressed his gratitude to officials from all agencies for their cooperation in the evacuation mission. He also extended his appreciation to Saudi Arabia and Egypt for their assistance in evacuating and accommodating the Thais. The second batch of evacuees was scheduled to arrive on Saturday. The prime minister said he hoped that the situation in Sudan would not escalate.
Several evacuees were exhausted from the long journey as they had to board a bus, a ship, and a plane that took almost two days to arrive home. Despite the exhaustion, many expressed their joy and relief upon returning home.
Initial health check-ups found that three of them were sick and required close medical attention. Consequently, all evacuees were taken to a hotel to rest before boarding a flight to Pattani airport, where vehicles were arranged to transport them to their homes.
Fatiha Zeeba, a 22-year-old student, recounted her harrowing experience in Sudan, where dead bodies were scattered in the streets, and bombs and war weapons were being used frequently. She had been gripped with fear in her campus for over ten days, and hospitals were unable to accommodate the rising number of injured people. Fortunately, embassy officials picked her up from her university, and she eventually boarded a ship to Jeddah before taking a flight to Thailand.
“I am very happy to arrive in Thailand. I want to see my parents and relatives. However, I am worried about my Thai friends who are still there. I do hope they return home safely.’’ said Ms Fatiha.
An Airbus A340-500 plane transporting the 78 evacuees departed from King Abdulaziz airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and arrived at Wing 6 around 10pm. The passengers included 73 students and five officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Most of the students were studying medicine, Islamic law, and religion in the African country.
There are 132 more Thais awaiting transportation back to Thailand. Of them, the first group of 66, who boarded the Air Force C-130 from Sudan, had already arrived in Jeddah and met with Thai Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Darm Boontham; and head of the Air Force’s evacuation team in Jeddah, Capt Anurak Rommarak.
The second group of 66 evacuees would travel from the Port of Sudan to Jeddah by ship, with more people possibly joining them. The Air Force has closely coordinated with the Foreign Affairs Ministry to ensure the safe evacuation of all Thais.
The Airbus A340-500 is expected to return to transport them from Saudi Arabia, and there are two Air Force C-130s available there.
On Thursday, Sudanese fighter jets pounded paramilitary positions in Khartoum while deadly fighting and looting flared in Darfur, despite the army and a rival force agreeing to extend a ceasefire deal.
