A
Zimbabwean family has been marooned at Bangkok’s main airport for two months,
Thai immigration police said Thursday, an ordeal over the holiday season that
has drawn widespread sympathy among Thais.
The
family, four adults and four children — who are aged between two and
11-years-old — have tried to leave Thailand since late October.
But
they lack visas for onward travel, refuse to return to Zimbabwe and are denied
re-entry to the kingdom after overstaying, trapping them in limbo in the
airside area of the airport.
Immigration
police said the family entered Thailand in May on tourist visas.
On
October 23 they tried to fly to Spain via Ukraine, but were denied by the
airline as they lacked Spanish visas.
As
they had overstayed their Thai visas by several months they were banned from
re-entering the country.
They
are trapped as they have also “refused to return to Zimbabwe citing their fear
for their for their safety due to unrest in Zimbabwe,” the official said,
requesting anonymity.
Airlines
have been providing them with food.
The
family have applied for asylum hoping to be resettled outside of Thailand,
which does not formally accept refugees.
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