A second group of Thai citizens stranded in Maldives, amid global travel restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were repatriated on Monday.
The 131 individuals, who volunteered for repatriation, departed in the morning on a chartered flight organised jointly by the Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the Royal Thai Honorary Consulate in Maldives.
The first group of Thai nationals repatriated from Maldives numbered 55 and departed on April 16.
The Maldivian government stopped issuing on-arrival-visas and closed its borders on March 27, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, thus effectively leaving several stranded in the island nation.
A number of special flights have been scheduled since, to undertake the repatriation work of returning tourists and expatriate workers to their home countries.
Authorities are also working with relevant foreign bodies to bring back Maldivians stranded overseas due to the pandemic.