Thai evacuees from the earthquake in Turkey have expressed their grateful appreciation to His Majesty the King and the government of Thailand, saying the assistance offered has been beyond their expectations.
Warachaya Sirisopaworakul, a 41-year-old woman from Chaiyaphum province, was among the 36 people evacuated from Turkey on Wednesday night by a Thai air force plane back to the kingdom. She left the country in June last year to work at a spa in a hotel in Hatay province just south of Ankara, Turkey's capital.
Ms Warachaya said this was the first time in her life she had experienced an earthquake, and the first shockwave of the temblor struck in the early morning of Feb 6.
Three minutes later, the seismic waves from the earthquake shook the ground even harder and overturned the closet in her bedroom, prompting her to rush from her bedroom on the ground floor, taking only a jacket with her, she said.
"I was so shocked and was afraid to go back to the hotel again. I decided to stay outside in the extremely cold weather and ended up sleeping in a car for two nights," she said.
After later retrieving some personal items with the help of her sister, Ms Warachaya found she only had 3,000 baht left in her purse when leaving the city.
She later contacted the Thai embassy so they could explain how she should obtain a new passport. She then learned that there would be a free flight back to Thailand.
"I was not hesitant about coming home. The ambassador, his wife and the local staff were all very kind to me. They offered me very delicious food and a warm reception to make me more relaxed after the ordeal," she said.
"The air force staff also took good care of me on the plane. I would like to say thanks to all of you, especially His Majesty the King and the government of Thailand, for their assistance. Everything I received was beyond my expectations. They did a great job," she added.
Kanokporn Chokhandit, a 26-year-old from Chaiyaphum province, said she was staying with her husband in Defne city.
After the quake, she decided to bring her three-year-old twin sons back to Thailand. She said she was highly appreciative of the assistance provided by the government that helped her return home safely.
Ms Kanokporn said the well-coordinated teams relieved her anxiety as she was never left alone throughout the crisis.
The 36 evacuees, mostly women, arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Thursday night.
The Royal Thai Air Force made special plans to pick them up at the airport, sharing essential provisions given by his Majesty the King to help the quake victims.
On arrival, they were taken to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province for a check-up, including a Covid-19 check.
All of them were found to be healthy, and no Covid-19 infections were detected. One, however, developed a backache and was sent to Bhumibol Hospital in Bangkok. The rest returned home on Thursday.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said the ministry is ready to take care of any further Thai evacuees. However, it has not received any more contact regarding another group of evacuees.
He said the ministry is going to prepare additional drugs and other necessary medical equipment to deliver in the form of donations, as well as a medical team.
At least 43,885 people have died across Turkey and neighbouring Syria following the powerful 7.8-magnitude quake that struck both countries on Feb 6, according to the UN.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 48 Thais have already contacted the embassy, adding that one Thai woman lost her life as a result of the disaster. Her body has already been returned to her home in Chaiyaphum province.