Another 79 Thais reach Jeddah after evacuation from Sudan by Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Thailand said on Thursday that Saudi Arabian agencies have evacuated about 2,351 people of 67 nationalities affected by the battle in Sudan.
Among evacuees, the embassy said 79 Thai citizens were transported by a Saudi Arabian ship, which arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday evening.
Saudi Arabia's embassy in Bangkok said that "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in continuation of the efforts under the directives of its leadership - may God support it - is evacuating Saudi citizens and nationals of brotherly and friendly countries from Sudan to Saudi Arabia".
"Saudi Arabia is keen to provide all the basic needs to foreign nationals before their departure to their countries," the embassy said.
Meanwhile, Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)'s A340-500 aircraft arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia at 9.30am on Wednesday, the Thai Foreign Ministry said.
"Two more C130H aircraft would arrive at the airport on schedule," ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said.
She said 82 Thai evacuees arrived at King Faisal Navy Base in Jeddah around 9am on Wednesday after departing from Port Sudan by a Saudi Arabian ship.
"Those evacuees have received a warm welcome by Ambassador of Thailand to Riyadh, Darm Boontham," she said.
She said accommodation and relief supplies have been arranged for the Thai evacuees. Medical staff who travelled to Saudi Arabia by an RTAF aircraft will conduct physical examination on the evacuees before sending them back to Thailand, she added.
Kanchana said another 136 Thai nationals and their foreign family members are waiting at Port Sudan to take a Saudi Arabian ship to Jeddah.
"Five Thai students who lived near Khartoum are currently on their way to join evacuees who will travel to Jeddah," she said.
She added that Darm had discussed with Maj-General Pilot Staff Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Zahrani, commander of King Abdullah Air Base, and port operators in Jeddah on Tuesday on the onward plans for Thai evacuees.
Fierce fighting erupted in Khartoum on April 15 between forces allied with two generals linked to Sudan’s 2021 coup.
Efforts to extract foreign nationals from Sudan intensified on Tuesday as a 72-hour ceasefire took effect, but gunfire could still be heard in the capital.
World Health Organisation reports say 420 people have been killed in the conflict so far and over 3,700 others have been wounded. More than half of the victims are civilians, reports say.
Another 132 Thai nationals were evacuated from Sudan on Thursday, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Sixty-six Thais arrived from Sudan aboard a Saudi Arabian aircraft that landed in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.
"Meanwhile, 32 Thais arrived in Jeddah on a Saudi Arabian ship at 10pm yesterday," the ministry said on Friday.
It added that another 34 were due to arrive in the Saudi port by ship today at noon.
The ministry said that another five Thai nationals have registered for evacuation to Jeddah with Saudi Arabian officials at Port Sudan.
