Thai pilgrims stranded at Suvarnabhumi International Airport have begun travelling to Saudi Arabia after Saudia arranged an emergency replacement flight, while others have returned home to await safer travel conditions following missile attacks on Riyadh’s main airport.
Deputy Interior Minister Jeseth Thaiseth confirmed on October 14 that Saudia had sent an empty aircraft to Bangkok on the night of October 13 to collect stranded passengers and transport them to Madinah.
Approximately 200 Thai Muslim pilgrims had been affected by flight disruptions following attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which forced the suspension of services and changes to flight schedules.
According to Thai PBS, the Interior Ministry coordinated directly with Saudia’s management after treating the situation as an emergency.
The assistance followed instructions from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to support affected travellers, with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) working alongside other government agencies to arrange accommodation and alternative transportation.
An earlier SBPAC assessment on October 12 identified 129 pilgrims awaiting replacement flights, while 34 had booked tickets with other airlines. Another 49 travellers from Pattani chose to postpone their pilgrimage.
The Pattani group returned home on October 13 after their scheduled departure was cancelled. Their tour operator said the travellers would retain their ticket entitlements and reschedule once conditions in Saudi Arabia improved.
Meanwhile, the SBPAC established a coordination centre at Hat Yai International Airport in Songkhla to assist travellers from the southern border provinces before they continued to Bangkok.
Jeset said airlines had begun redirecting flights to Madinah and Jeddah instead of Riyadh, allowing pilgrims to continue towards Makkah, their intended destination for the Umrah pilgrimage.
However, he acknowledged that the changes could disrupt accommodation bookings and travel arrangements, particularly for tour operators that had reserved hotels in advance.
The emergency response comes as Saudi Arabia continues dealing with the aftermath of missile attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
King Khalid International Airport is expected to remain closed until October 17, according to Reuters, while further threats against Saudi aviation facilities have raised concerns about continued disruption.
The SBPAC also continues to assist affected travellers through its 24-hour hotline, 1880.
In related news:
- Suvarnabhumi flight cancellations hit 32 amid Israel-Iran unrest
- AEROTHAI says 1,000+ Middle East flights to Thailand cancelled
- Riyadh Air launches direct Bangkok flights
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