Thai students, who arrived in Bangkok from Sudan via Saudi Arabia Thursday night, said that they took advantage of the 72-hour ceasefire in Khartoum to escape to the Port of Sudan,to board a ferry across the Red Sea to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The female Thai students said, however, that the journey by boat was a tough experience, because the ferry was crowded with more than 2,000 people trying to flee the fighting in Sudan.
Altogether 78 Thais, including 40 women and 38 men, many of them students, arrived at Bangkok’s military airport last night (Thursday). They were welcomed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.
Yeekasem, president of Thai Students Association in Sudan, told the Thai media at the airport that they were scared throughout their escape from Khartoum and could hardly sleep because of the continuing fighting. There were many road checkpoints, adding that everyone had to have a pass,without which it would have been very difficult to leave the capital.
Another 22-year-old Thai student said that the situation in Sudan was very tense and scary, with constant shooting and bombing, and that many people lay dead on the roads, adding that he was stranded at the International University of Africa for about 10 days before he could leave, with the help of Thai Embassy staff, and take a bus with other students to the Port of Sudan, then to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and a flight back to Thailand.
He said he was very glad to be back to Thailand and wants to see his family.
Several students said that they will not return to Sudan to further their studies, because it is very dangerous there.
Most Thai students went to Sudan to pursue Islamic studies on Sudanese government scholarships. One student said that the university is very generous. If any of them did not have the tuition fees, it would give them a 50-70% discount.
Another student said that Sudan is a very beautiful country with its deserts, but it may not be as convenient as in Thailand, adding that most Thai Muslim students prefer to travel to Sudan to study, because of Sudanese government scholarships for foreign students.
The second group of 66 Thais have already arrived at the airport in Jeddah for a flight back to Thailand. The Royal Thai Air Force will send its Airbus 340-500 to Jeddah to pick them up, as it will be more comfortable than travelling in a C-130 military transport plane.
Of the 66, 34 are on board a Saudi war ship, which is expected to arrive in Jeddah at about noon today (Thai time),while the 32 others, also travelling by boat, are expected in Jeddah tonight. Five others have registered with Saudi officials to leave the Port of Sudan for Jeddah on a Saudi warship.
The RTAF’s C-130 transport plane is still in Jeddah on standby, until the evacuation operation is complete.
