A senior transport official also warned of likely increases in sea freight charges and cargo container availability as ships avoid the war in the Mideast, taking the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa. In the United Arab Emirates, flights were limited to transporting stranded travellers. Turkey and Saudi Arabia remained open and ready for use by repatriation flights, he said. Riyadh-Bangkok flights remained operational and could be increased to serve Thai evacuees, as needed, Mr Panidone said. He also warned that sea freight between Thailand and Europe would take an additional 15 days because vessels were avoiding the war zone and rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope,This would affect freight charges and the availability of cargo containers.

Source: Bangkok Post March 08, 2026 07:59 UTC