Thai Embassy warns nationals after deadly attack on Saudi airport
The Thai Embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned Thai nationals in Dammam and nearby areas to avoid King Fahd International Airport temporarily following an attack on October 21 that killed two people and injured eight others.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Riyadh issued the warning on October 22, saying the security situation remained highly risky iand urging Thais to avoid travelling through the airport until conditions returned to normal.
Thai nationals in Dammam and surrounding areas can continue their daily lives and work as usual, but should avoid the airport and energy infrastructure facilities, including oil refineries, the embassy said.
It also advised Thais to exercise caution when travelling to public places or crowded areas and to strictly follow instructions issued by Saudi authorities.
Thais requiring assistance can contact the embassy in Riyadh around the clock by phone or WhatsApp at +966 55 462 2005. They can also contact the Thai Consulate-General in Jeddah at +966 56 808 1224.
The warning comes as Saudi Arabia faces repeated attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group amid escalating hostilities.
The United States has ordered non-essential staff at its embassy in Saudi Arabia and their family members to leave the country, the US State Department said on Wednesday.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the Houthis had increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure that had caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.
“The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority,” Pigott said in a social media post explaining the order.
A diplomatic source in the Middle East told AFP that some family members of US embassy personnel were also being withdrawn from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.
However, Pigott stressed that Wednesday’s departure order applied only to non-essential embassy staff and their families in Saudi Arabia.
Main photo: Thai Embassy in Saudi Arabia