Family of eight stuck at Bangkok airport for TWO MONTHS in an ordeal that has been compared to Tom Hanks’ movie ‘The Terminal’
The group refuse to return to Zimbabwe and cannot re-enter Bangkok
LONG stops at an airport aren’t exactly anyone’s idea of fun, so spare a thought for this family who have been stuck at Bangkok airport for the last two months.
The Zimbabwean family of eight’s plight has drawn much sympathy worldwide and even bears comparisons with the Tom Hanks film ‘The Terminal’.
The group, comprising of four adults and four children aged between two and 11-years-old have been trying to leave Thailand since October.
According to the Thai Immigration Bureau, the group arrived in Thailand in May, but have refused to return to Zimbabwe fearing persecution.
They have no visas for onward travels and cannot re-enter the Kingdom being banned for overstaying their Thai visas by several months.
On October 23, records show the family attempted to fly to Spain via the Ukraine, but were denied entry as they did not have Spanish visas.
The family later made arrangements with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) to fly via Kiev to Dubai instead and then on to a third country, therefore bypassing European immigration.
However, according to a UIA spokesperson, the family cancelled their tickets for the final leg of their journey, resulting in the group being sent back to Bangkok.
The family remains in limbo on the airside of the airport, with staff and airlines providing their meals.
Their unusual predicament came to light after a Thai Facebook user posted a photograph of himself giving one of the children a Christmas present.
In his post, Kanaruj Artt Pornsopit said the family had been living in the airport for nearly three months "because of the unsettled situation" in their country.
He added: "Hope all of you back to your sweet home soon.”
The Zimbabwean family’s plight has been likened to the film ‘The Terminal’ starring Tom Hanks.
In the film, Hanks plays a man trapped in a New York airport in diplomatic limbo.
The film is based on the real life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri who lived at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris for 18 years.
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However, Thailand’s Immigration bureau spokesman Pol Col Cherngron Rimphadee was quick to shut down any comparisons.
He said: "Please try not to compare this to the movie. Their situation is not as dramatic... actually they have plenty of options."
"They could travel to other countries that are willing to take them. We also offered to relocate them to our holding centre where there is childcare. But they refused. They are happy to stay here."
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