Today (17 March 2011) at 0900 hrs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, accepted donations comprising 5,000 blankets and 500,000 baht from Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, President and CEO, Thai Beverage Public Company Limited and Mr. Suwat Liptapanlop, President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand Under His Majesty's Patronage, respectively, for the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Afterwards, Foreign Minister Kasit gave an interview to the media regarding the Royal Thai Government’s assistance to Thai nationals in Japan. At this stage, the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo has closely followed up and coordinated with relevant agencies of Japan to assess the situation of Japan’s nuclear plants. In case the situation deteriorates, the Embassy will consider moving Thai nationals to the southern part of Japan and traveling to near by countries by ship. In this regard, the Embassy has facilitated Thai nationals who express their wish to return home. Thai relevant agencies have also set up a health check up unit at the airport for those who return from Japan and impose food safety measures for imported food from Japan.
At present, the Embassy had assisted 70 Thai nationals from Sendai to Tokyo. Of this figure, 34 of them wished to return home and had been facilitated by the Embassy, arriving in Thailand on 16 March 2011.
Regarding Thailand’s assistance to Japan, Foreign Minister Kasit said that at present, blankets, sleeping bags, drinking water and water containers are needed in Japan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will expedite providing such assistance to Japan as needed.
Meanwhile, as of 17 March 2011 at 0900 hrs, the latest donation deposited into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ account as fund to assist the disaster victims in Japan is 20,246,808 baht.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th