Thailand starts repatriating citizens from Libya

By IndoChina Bureau Chief Anasuya Sanyal
Posted: 01 March 2011

BANGKOK : Thailand has started repatriating many of its citizens working in Libya, as the political unrest there worsens.

A batch of 23 Thai workers based in Libya for the Malaysian construction company Ranhill are relieved to be home.

So far, about 1,000 Thais have been evacuated, but thousands remain out of the 25,000 known to be working in the North African country.

One group flew in to Bangkok from Istanbul, Turkey via Tunisia. They said they grateful for assistance rendered by the Malaysian government.

They spent a week in the airport with 10,000 others trying to get out.

Waranyoo Hansakachorn, an engineer at Ranhill Corporation, said: "We left our camp the evening of February 24. We then went to Tripoli Airport. We got on a plane at 3am amid the chaos. The airport was terrible as there were so many people, about 10,000. I recommend that Thai workers should not be evacuated via air. Ship would be better."

However, one man said they were among the fortunate, because they had security personnel protecting them.

Suvit Mahasarn from Ranhill Corporation said: "It is quite safe at my camp, but other camps nearby were attacked and robbed. Thais were not harmed, but only kicked out of their quarters. Looters stole from other camps. We were not affected."

Some returning workers have had a harrowing experience trying to get back home. They have been robbed and had very little food and water. Though it wasn't the case with the group working for Ranhill, they said their thoughts are still with the thousands of workers from Southeast Asia trapped in Libya.

Many of those still in Libya will be evacuated by ship to Europe.

Thai officials are working to expedite their way home, but said a lack of staff on the ground is a big obstacle.

Sansiya Suwanchatee from Ranhill Corporation, said: "At our camp, there are around 1,200 Thai workers. I am calling for the government to speed up evacuation of the workers. Water and electricity have been cut and they are running out of food."

- CNA/ms