A Zimbabwean family of four has reportedly been stranded in the departure lounge of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand for three months in what appears to have been a botched asylum attempt, the New Zimbabwe reports.
According to the report, details of how the family ended up in the situation were not immediately available but they have been surviving off the generosity of airport staff who have been providing food and other necessities while using the departure lounge sofas as their beds.
Their predicament was brought to light this Tuesday after one of the airport’s employees posted a captioned photo handing over a Christmas gift to one of the two children, Mashia.
“The little girl Mashia from Zimbabwe has been stuck at the airport with her older brother and family for almost three months now because of instability in their home country,” Kanaruj “Artt” Pornspolt is quoted by a publication, khaosodenglish, saying in Thai in his post.
He added, “They’re staying strong. Sometimes they’re playful like children are, but they’re not naughty or crybabies. I promised to bring her a Christmas present today.”
“Merry Christmas to Mashia, Milan, Eton and Tanaka. To hope all of you back to your sweet home as soon [sic]. Nice to meet all of you guys.”
Major General Pruettipong Prayoonsiri, an official with the Thailand immigration police, has reportedly confirmed the narrative without giving reasons.
“It’s just a normal family, they didn’t do anything,” he said on Wednesday.
The situation the family has found themselves in has been likened to the film “The Terminal,” cast in 2004 featuring Tom Hanks who plays the role of an eastern European man stuck inside New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Pornspolt’s post has been winning sympathy online since he posted the photo with the young girl.
“If they entered Thailand, they would be illegal immigrants, and Thailand would have to deport them back to Zimbabwe,” Somyod Mall wrote on Facebook, “But staying in the airport like this, they can’t go back home because of instability. Oh! It feels like torture! And how do they pay for things? Airport prices are really high.”
A good number of Zimbabwe nationals are economic and political refugees across the world having left their country to run away from hardships and political violence which had come to be associated with former president Robert Mugabe’s 37 year rule.
The veteran politician resigned last month after a military revolt raising hopes of change in the southern African nation.
