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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Zimbabwe family leave Bangkok airport after three months | Zimbabwe family leave Bangkok airport after three months |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| If you've ever complained about being forced to sleep in an airport after a delay, spare a thought for one Zimbabwean family who have finally left Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport where they've lived for the past three months. | If you've ever complained about being forced to sleep in an airport after a delay, spare a thought for one Zimbabwean family who have finally left Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport where they've lived for the past three months. |
| The family - four children under the age of 11 and four adults - first arrived in Bangkok in May. | The family - four children under the age of 11 and four adults - first arrived in Bangkok in May. |
| When they tried to leave in October for Spain, they didn't have the right visas. | When they tried to leave in October for Spain, they didn't have the right visas. |
| They couldn't legally re-enter Thailand as they'd overstayed their tourist visas and had to pay a fine. But they said they could not return to Zimbabwe because they faced persecution. | They couldn't legally re-enter Thailand as they'd overstayed their tourist visas and had to pay a fine. But they said they could not return to Zimbabwe because they faced persecution. |
| The family's situation came to light when an employee at Suvarnabhumi airport posted a photo of himself with one of the children in December saying they were living there "because of the unsettled situation" at home. | The family's situation came to light when an employee at Suvarnabhumi airport posted a photo of himself with one of the children in December saying they were living there "because of the unsettled situation" at home. |
| Officials at that time explained that they'd tried to help the family make arrangements with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) to fly via Kiev to Dubai instead - and then on to a third country - bypassing European immigration. | Officials at that time explained that they'd tried to help the family make arrangements with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) to fly via Kiev to Dubai instead - and then on to a third country - bypassing European immigration. |
| But according to a UIA spokesperson, the family cancelled their tickets for the final leg of their journey, leading them to be sent back from Dubai to Bangkok. | But according to a UIA spokesperson, the family cancelled their tickets for the final leg of their journey, leading them to be sent back from Dubai to Bangkok. |
| The family asked for assistance from the UN, saying they feared persecution in Zimbabwe after the November unrest which saw the removal of long-term leader Robert Mugabe. | The family asked for assistance from the UN, saying they feared persecution in Zimbabwe after the November unrest which saw the removal of long-term leader Robert Mugabe. |
| The UN said at the time that it was "exploring options". Thailand does not provide legal status to refugees and asylum seekers. | |
| Meanwhile, the family stayed inside the departure area, being looked after by airport staff. | Meanwhile, the family stayed inside the departure area, being looked after by airport staff. |
| According to a Thai immigration bureau spokesman, they finally left Bangkok on Monday afternoon. | According to a Thai immigration bureau spokesman, they finally left Bangkok on Monday afternoon. |
| Pol Col Cherngron Rimphadee told the BBC's Thai Service that the family had departed for the Philippines. A UNHCR refugee camp is located there, but it was not clear whether it was their final destination. | Pol Col Cherngron Rimphadee told the BBC's Thai Service that the family had departed for the Philippines. A UNHCR refugee camp is located there, but it was not clear whether it was their final destination. |
| A UNHCR spokeswoman told the Coconuts website that the agency would not comment on individual cases. | A UNHCR spokeswoman told the Coconuts website that the agency would not comment on individual cases. |