Speaking on the issue during a press briefing yesterday (Feb 21), Pavlo Orel, Chargé d’Affaires, said Ukraine is ready to help, reports the Bangkok Post.
“I know that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand has got some kind of plan in case of further deterioration of the [Russia-Ukraine situation],” he said. “[In this regard], the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is ready and has been in contact with the Thai embassy in Warsaw, Poland, which is responsible for Thai people in Ukraine.”
“Our government is in contact with them in case there are any Thai nationals needing assistance, and we will provide [them] with assistance,” Mr Orel said.
The diplomat was answering the Bangkok Post’s question on how Kyiv would step in to assist Thais currently residing in Ukraine.
Last week, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry announced that the Thai embassy in Poland had reportedly laid out a plan to evacuate Thais living in Ukraine in case tensions with Russia intensify.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said earlier the Thai government is concerned about the safety of 230 Thais living in Ukraine.
The embassy has set up a special Line group to quickly communicate, as well as sought cooperation from the governments of Ukraine and Poland to evacuate Thais in case of an emergency situation. A warning informing Thais to refrain from travelling to Ukraine has been issued.
Ukraine’s western city of Lviv could be used as an evacuation route to Poland, according to Chetthaphan Maksamphan, Thai ambassador to Poland.