The Ministry of Labor has decided to temporarily halt the sending of Thai workers to the Middle East, following escalating military tensions between Israel and Iran.

Minister of Labor Treenuch Thienthong stated that the decision came after the Ministry of Labor had held a consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and both ministries agreed that sending Thai nationals to the region should be halted for the time being.

Minister Treenuch expressed concern for Thai workers in the Middle East and instructed Permanent Secretary for Labor Pol Lt Col Wannapong Kotcharak to set up a situation monitoring center at the ministry’s headquarters in Bangkok to provide assistance for Thai workers and monitor the situation around the clock. 

The Ministry of Labor is also ready to support the evacuation of Thai workers to safe areas, if the situation escalates. Thai workers in the Middle East were also encouraged to contact Thai embassies at any time if they need help and exercise greater caution when travelling. 

According to Minister Treenuch, there are currently 77,495 Thai workers under the jurisdiction of three overseas labor offices in the Middle East. Out of this number, 58,921 are in Tel Aviv, Israel; 11,227 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and 7,347 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Permanent Secretary for Labor stated that he would hold a video conference with the Thai labor attachés in the three countries to discuss an assessment of the situation on the ground and lay down proactive measures to take care of Thai workers there, so that they would have access to emergency assistance, if the situation escalated.

Meanwhile, other ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Commerce, are also closely monitoring the situation and preparing measures to help Thai nationals both at home and abroad. 

For instance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a war room and coordinated assistance for Thai nationals in Iran, Israel, and other countries in the region. The Ministry of Energy confirmed that Thailand’s oil reserves are sufficient for 61 days and is exploring alternative energy sources. The Ministry of Commerce has instructed Thai commercial attachés worldwide to assess potential impacts on Thai exports, and it has also moved to stabilize prices of essential goods to protect consumers from possible adverse effects.