Thailand activates crisis war room to support overseas citizens amid escalating Middle East tensions

At present, labour offices in the affected regions have been instructed to closely monitor the situation and be prepared to assist and relocate Thai workers to safe areas if needed.

A war room has been set up in Thailand to monitor the situation of rising tensions in the Middle East and coordinate assistance for Thai workers in the region.

Located on the fifth floor of the Ministry of Labour (MOL), the war room will operate 24 hours a day and will be ready to provide support should the situation escalate to the point of evacuation, the Ministry said on Sunday (22 March 2026). 

According to Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong, evacuation falls under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and if directed by the Prime Minister, that MOL stands ready to support the mission. 

"All actions will depend on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ assessment of the level of risk and whether evacuation is necessary," Minister Trinuch stated. 

Labour offices have been instructed to keep a close watch on developments and be ready to assist Thai workers, including relocating them to safer areas if needed.

On overseas deployments, Minister Trinuch said initial discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have taken place on temporarily pausing the placement of Thai workers in high-risk areas of the Middle East.

The Labour Ministry’s Permanent Secretary added that both sides are aligned on the suspension, with further discussions to formalise the move expected.

Currently, there are three labour offices as follows: 

1. Labour Office in Tel Aviv, Israel: responsible for 58,921 persons
2. Labour Office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: responsible for 11,227 persons
3. Labour Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (covering the region): responsible for 7,347 persons

This makes the total number of Thai workers in the region 77,495. 

Adding to the update, Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, said he will conduct video conferences with Labour Counsellors from all three offices to assess and monitor the situation, and to ensure close coordination with Thai workers in the area.

Efforts are also being stepped up to ensure workers can reach embassy officials directly by phone, alongside putting measures in place so they can access emergency assistance quickly if needed.

READ MORE: Countries across Asia issue travel and safety advisories amid rising tensions linked to Iran conflict 

Lead image / Ministry of Labour Thailand Facebook