- Speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18, Durai said that there are 950 Indian nationals waiting to return home, of whom 750 are on temporary visas.
- The senior diplomat said that the Indian mission had been collecting details of Indian nationals for the past three weeks.
- Durai added that the Indian mission had persuaded a large number of Indians to return before the lockdown came into effect and repatriating the remaining 950 would not be difficult.
The Coronavirus outbreak & the subsequent lockdowns across the world have left thousands of Indians stranded abroad. Over 900 Indians are in Thailand waiting to return. @Parikshitl speaks to @suchitra_durai, India’s Ambassador to Thailand. #Lockdown #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/qlAiV3YLs2
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) April 28, 2020
The Indian embassy in Thailand is ready to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in the country at a short notice, said ambassador Suchitra Durai on Tuesday. Speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18, Durai said that there are 950 Indian nationals waiting to return home, of whom 750 are on temporary visas.
The senior diplomat said that the Indian mission had been collecting details of Indian nationals for the past three weeks. “Indian mission is now prepared to segregate Indians state wise and begin evacuation at a short notice,” Durai said. “We are awaiting the government’s decision to resume commercial flights. Priority would be to first evacuate the elderly, those who are unwell, people with medical issues and those who have been split from their families”, she added.
Indian embassy officials have helped at least 500 citizens in getting their visas extended by the Thai government. Durai explained that the embassy had roped in Indian associations in Thailand to provide food, lodging and even financial support to stranded Indian citizens.
At least 53 Indian nationals are in Thailand’s prisons and another 30 are in immigration detention centres. “We are in regular touch with Indians in detention centres. We would evacuate them too once flights resume”, said the envoy.
Durai added that the Indian mission had persuaded a large number of Indians to return before the lockdown came into effect and repatriating the remaining 950 would not be difficult. The Indian embassy has also set up two helplines to counsel stranded citizens.