Summary of Press Briefing at the Joint Management and Monitoring Center for the Situation in the Middle East on 7 March 2026

Summary of Press Briefing
at the Joint Management and Monitoring Center for the Situation in the Middle East

by Mr. Panidone Pachimsawat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information and MFA Deputy Spokesperson
on 7 March 2026 at 18.10 hrs at the Government House

1. Developments in the Situation in the Middle East

• The overall situation in the region remains volatile, with several ongoing missile and drone attacks.
• There are still a number of high-risk areas that require close monitoring such as Iraq, where violence has intensified, and Lebanon, which has been facing attacks and the displacement of civilians, increasingly approaching a humanitarian crisis.
• Attacks targeting U.S.-associated sites - such as military bases and U.S. residential facilities in the Gulf states - have continued but have been mostly successfully intercepted.
• Regarding the current status of airspace operations:
  • Iran, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Qatar remain closed to commercial air traffic.
  • The UAE has begun to partially resume flights on a limited basis to facilitate the departure of stranded passengers.
  • Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan continue to keep their airspace open, with Saudi Arabia and Oman currently serving as key regional hubs for the air evacuation of people from the region.
• At present, no Thai nationals have been reported injured or killed. However, Thai citizens are urged to consider leaving high-risk areas as soon as possible and to register their current location and contact details with the responsible Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General.

1. Developments on Assistance Provided to Affected Thai Nationals

• In Iran, the first group of Thai nationals - totaling 62 persons - from Tehran and Qom left Tehran this morning (7 March 2026). They are expected to arrive in Turkey within the same day. Another group is scheduled to travel on 10 March 2026.
• In Turkey, the Department of Consular Affairs' delegation, led by Deputy Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs, arrived in Van, Turkey, yesterday. They are working closely with officials from the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey to prepare for the arrival of Thai nationals evacuating from Iran. The delegation also traveled to the Kapikoy border crossing to meet with local authorities to coordinate on facilitation for Thai nationals entering Turkey from Iran.
• Officials from the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara will also be at another border crossing point, to receive 10 Thai nationals who are leaving Iraq by land and entering that border in Turkey for onward travel to the city of Mardin to catch a flight to Thailand.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with the relevant parties, including Iran, the U.S. and Israel, to ensure that Thai nationals can be evacuated smoothly and safely. Most recently, the Chargé d'Affaires in Tehran informed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' War Room that the group is approaching their final destination.
• The Royal Thai Embassy in Tehran will temporarily relocate its operations to Van, Turkey, from 10 March 2026. The Embassy will remain in close contact and help Thai nationals wishing to leave Iran, as well as those still living in the country.
• Saudi Arabia remains another location from which flights back to Thailand are still operating. The Royal Thai Embassy in Riyadh and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Jeddah have been closely coordinating with Thai embassies in neighboring countries - such as the Royal Thai Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, the Royal Thai Embassy in Doha, Qatar and the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait - where airspace remains closed to facilitate Thais who wish to leave Saudi Arabia by air.
• Options for repatriation on commercial airlines are possible. The Riyadh-Bangkok route continues to operate. There might be also additional evacuation flights based on actual demand.
• Flights are beginning to resume in the UAE, specifically Emirates and Air Arabia, which have resumed flight operations on 6 March 2026. Emirates has resumed flights to Bangkok and Phuket, while Air Arabia has resumed flights to Bangkok.
• Currently, 215 Thai nationals have returned to Thailand.
• As for other countries, the relevant Thai agencies will continue to facilitate Thai nationals wishing to return to Thailand, as well as providing guidance and coordinating with relevant authorities to expedite the necessary documentation and procedures.