On 26 July 2013, Miss Pornprapai Ganjanarintr, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, received a donation of 20 tons of dates from representatives of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) in support of the Royal Thai Government’s humanitarian assistance  to Rohingya illegal migrants during the month of Ramadan.

The donation, reflecting the close and fruitful cooperation between Thailand and Saudi Arabia in humanitarian affairs, will be distributed to some 1,800 Rohingya illegal migrants currently under the care of the Royal Thai Government while waiting for suitable and viable solutions. The donation and distribution of dates were made possible by valuable support from various agencies and organizations, including the Sheikhul Islam Office of Thailand, which generously supported the distribution of the dates to various locations throughout the country, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, the Thai Immigration Bureau, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The donation and distribution of the dates will support the work of concerned agencies to cater to the specific needs of Rohingya illegal migrants during the month of Ramadan. The Immigration Bureau earlier issued a set of guidelines to increase awareness among the officers involved of the needs that may arise from the migrants’ religious beliefs.

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26 July 2013