48 Thais arrive in Tunisia, awaiting next plane to Thailand

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BANGKOK, Aug 6 — A group of 48 Thais who have evacuated violence in Libya has arrived in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, after flying from Libya. 

Many workers on their way home said that they would like to return to Libya again for work, but would have to wait and see how the situation there turns out.

An official from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs was waiting to receive the evacuees at the Tunisian border, where the passengers were put on a bus for their journey into Tunis, a 10 hour trip. The ministry booked a commercial flight to fly the 45 Thai labourers and three students back to Thailand.

One workers, Akkarapol Supaphan, said he would like to return to work in Tripoli, as the pay there is quite good. But fighting in the Libyan capital is continuing, and he must wait to evaluate the situation before he can decide what to do next.

The foreign ministry announced Monday that it would evacuate about 1,500 Thais from Libya within 48 hours, after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ordered an immediate evacuation of Thai workers on July 28, when fighting escalated in the Libyan capital, Tripoli

According to the ministry, some Thai workers have already left Libya for Tunisia and are in a temporary shelter erected in Tunis.