BANGKOK, June 16 (Saba) - The Thai troops will start moving its military equipment out of Iraq next month and all medical and engineering staff are scheduled to back home by Sept. 20, said
government officials.

The pull-out of the Thai Humanitarian Task Force had been approved
by the Armed Forces Supreme Command, and heavy artillery will begin
to be transported back to the Thailand from mid-July, local
newspaper The Nation quoted the military as saying on Wednesday.

But an emergency plan will work to evacuate the troops, stationed in
the city of Kerbala, 100 km south of Baghdad, if their security was
threatened, said the supreme command in a statement.

The cost of relocating equipment and Thai troops, whose one-year
term will be put to an end by Sept. 20, would be fully absorbed by
the United States, it said.
EM

SABA