10,000 Thais evacuated from Libya

"About 10,000 have been evacuated while the rest are in safe zones and can continue working as usual," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday during his weekly TV show.

Evacuation efforts have concentrated on riot-wracked zones in Libya, which has seen deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces.

About 20,000 Thai workers were in Libya before the civil war broke out, he said.

In Lampang, more than 600 returned workers have contacted the provincial employment office for assistance.

"Each worker will be given Bt15,000," an official there said. Workers can contact the office everyday.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit attacked the government over its handling of the situation.

"More than 700 Thai workers have not yet received travel assistance of Bt1,500 from the government after they came back to Thailand.

How can the government do that?" he said.

At the press conference with Prompong was Jarupong Ruangsywan, a former permanent secretary for the Labour Ministry.

"Most Thai workers in fact received help from their employers or recruitment agencies, not the government," Jarupong said.