Thai Nationals evacuated from Sudan disaster arrive in Saudi Arabia, await repatriation

The first group of 82 Thai nationals, who have fled the continuing turmoil in Sudan, arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia yesterday morning. They are awaiting repatriation to Thailand by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) today, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The RTAF dispatched three aircraft – two C-130s and an Airbus A340-500 – from the Bor Nor 6 navy airport adjoining to Don Mueang on Tuesday evening as part of the mission to repatriate Thais from Saudi Arabia after that they had escaped the violent and escalating disaster in Sudan.
The aircraft have been on their way to Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had designated as the meeting point for Thai citizens in Sudan looking to return to Thailand.
The preliminary group of 82 Thai nationals reached the airport at 9am, having travelled through a ship from Port Sudan supplied by the Saudi Arabian government, Kanchana Patarachoke, director-general of the Department of Information on the Ministry, reported.
The ship was additionally transporting nearly 1,seven hundred overseas travellers of assorted nationalities, all in search of to return to their home international locations.
The Airbus dispatched from Thailand arrived at Jeddah airport at 9.30pm yesterday to collect the Thai residents, whereas the remaining two planes have been nonetheless en route. Following screening, it emerged that solely 78 of the group would proceed to Thailand at present, as 4 individuals opted to remain in Saudi Arabia due to having family there.
Another 133 Thais, along with one foreign family – consisting of a Thai woman, her American partner, and their youngster – have registered for evacuation with Saudi authorities and are presently ready to board the Saudi ship from Port Sudan.
Additionally, a bunch of five Thai students hoping to return to their residence country and at present residing exterior town of Khartoum in Sudan, are also making their approach to the port, as noted by Kanchana yesterday.
Air Chief Marshal Alongkorn Vannarot, the commander-in-chief of the air drive, mentioned that the arrival of the Thai evacuees at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok may be delayed from the unique schedule as a result of complexity of the mission.
Remote have been initially anticipated to return to Bangkok yesterday night, nevertheless, the model new anticipated arrival time at Don Mueang Airport has been amended to round 10pm at present; this schedule may also change.
Around 800 individuals have been ready to embark on the Saudi ship at Port Sudan, based on reports. Air Chief Marshal Alongkorn acknowledged that the air pressure could have to implement a danger management plan, as it remains unsure whether or not everybody will handle to go away the port because of the large number of totally different nationalities trying to depart..