By Geoffrey Bew
MANAMA
EFFORTS are being stepped up by the Thai Embassy to make sure people living illegally in Bahrain take part in the government’s general amnesty for expatriate workers. A spokesman said that two consular staff from the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Bangkok had been flown in especially to assist embassy officials in helping make sure people do not miss the chance to legalise their stay or leave the country without penalty.
A mobile consular unit has also been set up and will tour Manama in an attempt to raise awareness about the amnesty, which runs until the end of the year.
By Geoffrey Bew
MANAMA
EFFORTS are being stepped up by the Thai Embassy to make sure people living illegally in Bahrain take part in the government’s general amnesty for expatriate workers. A spokesman said that two consular staff from the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Bangkok had been flown in especially to assist embassy officials in helping make sure people do not miss the chance to legalise their stay or leave the country without penalty.
A mobile consular unit has also been set up and will tour Manama in an attempt to raise awareness about the amnesty, which runs until the end of the year.
Its first appearance at a Thai community gathering was a Futsal tournament held at Al Ahli Club in Mahooz on Friday.
The annual event is part of celebrations to mark Thai Mother’s Day, on August 12.
Officials distributed leaflets giving details about the amnesty at the tournament.
Around 65 people have already left Bahrain as part of the scheme, which began on August 1, but officials believe many more have yet to come forward.
Around 4,000 Thais are understood to be living here and around 900 are thought to be illegal.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has seen how important the amnesty is and two more staff have been sent here from Thailand for this purpose,” said the spokesman.
“It will be a big help for us and we will be pushing more on campaigning and providing information to promote the amnesty.
“We hope that we can at least try and persuade people to come out.”
Meanwhile, an embassy-run language course that aims to ensure children living in Bahrain do not forget their native tongue will begin next week.
Around 35 children, aged three to 16, have signed up for the weekly lessons, which will be held free of charge every Friday at the embassy in Zinj.
The initiative was instigated following a meeting between the embassy and Thai community leaders earlier this year.
Embassy staff and their spouses have been drafted in to teach children how to write the alphabet, along with volunteers with teaching experience in Thailand, who will provide the study materials.
Ambassador Phithak Phrombubpha will hold a meeting with volunteers to discuss the implementation of the scheme at the embassy on Wednesday.
geoff@gdn.com.bh